


Where Do We Go From Here?

by witchofink



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Fluff, Kid Fic, Past Supercorp, Slow Burn, supercorp kid
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-02-14 22:45:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 25,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13017741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchofink/pseuds/witchofink
Summary: Six years had past since Kara and Lena last saw each other, since they fell for each other, and neither had spoken since until one rainy day in National City. In those five years, Lena had experienced the ultimate betrayal from Lex, being used for an experiment to give him a living weapon against Superman using Kara's DNA. For Kara, she spent those years wondering how Lena was and starting her journey as Supergirl. Now that they are reunited, Kara learning she had a daughter and Lena's secret being exposed, how will they go from where they are on that rainy day?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Despite having so many fics already and a busy schedule, I have started another. This one won't be as angsty as my usual fics but it will have moments. I hope you all enjoy and please follow me on twitter @witchofink. Please leave comments, feedback, and kudos and enjoy the fic ^^

It was raining. Hard and heavy. It felt like a metaphor for the last five years of Lena’s life. Hard to get through and heavy on her shoulders. But it was also the best five years in Lena’s life, just like how rain was Lena’s favorite weather. Lightning flashed and thunder crackled. Another metaphor for the tension in her recently furnished office at the new headquarters for LuthorCorp, soon to be LCorp. The sound of dripping water on tile filled the room as it mingled with the heavy breathing of someone the young heiress never thought she would see again. Someone she both never wanted to see again and wanted more than anything to see again.

“Kara.”

As soon as the blonde’s name fell from her lips, it was as if the spell the woman had been in since she turned to see who had come into the room had broken. “Lena,” she uttered as she finally seemed to catch her breath. Her clothes were drenched from the rain and her blue eyes were wide in surprise. “Why didn’t you tell me you were in National City?”

The brunette flinched at the question she dreaded hearing and moved over to her desk to gently move a picture frame to be face down on the white surface. “I just got settled in,” Lena told the woman. “But you can’t really expect me to call you as soon as I get to town after not speaking for over five years. It doesn’t matter how close we were in that one year of attending college together, five years is a lot of time.”

Blue eyes glanced curiously at the frame Lena had moved to face down and her own hand moved to adjust her glasses only to find them missing from her face. Based on the causal sweatpants and long sleeve shirt, Kara had flown from her home most likely as soon as she had heard Lena was in the city. It was ironic the sweatpants were from Stanhope, the college they both attended briefly before moving on to places they wanted their degrees from. Lena had thrown all of her Stanhope keepsakes into a box and shoved it into a closet never to see the light of day again. The only thing she kept out was the picture she took with Kara the first day they moved into their dorm room before Lena asked for a single room.

“We were more than just close, Lena,” Kara countered as she moved to step closer, pausing as Lena shot her a look. “And you are the one who stopped returning my calls.”

“We’re exes, Kara, it doesn’t mean I owe you the first notice when I move to the same city as you,” Lena remarked as she fished out her phone at an alerting buzz. “And you were the one who suggested we break up when it was clear we wouldn’t go long distance.” The corners of her mouth attempted to curl slightly into a soft smile at the sight of her lock screen, but she forced it down as she swiped across the screen to pull up the text. “Look, I have to go soon,” she told the woman hurriedly. “You want my word I will keep your identity a secret, Supergirl? I’ll sign whatever you need. I do recommend that you don’t sleep near anyone who doesn’t unless you stopped sleep floating. I mean, that’s what gave it away to me.”

“It’s why you moved rooms,” Kara added with one of those sunny smiles that Lena couldn’t bear seeing at that moment. “And I’m not here for that, you’ve kept that secret for six years, I trust you. I just wanted to see if you really were here.” Lena tensed as she finally looked straight into Kara’s and saw the same look she gave her all those years ago. That look that told her she cared and wanted to keep supporting her.

Lena shook her head as she balled her hands into fists. “No, Kara, I can’t do this,” she snapped as she moved to her coat rack to get her things. “I can’t do this. You don’t just get to come into my life after five years. Yes, I’m the one who stopped calling back but you are the one who stopped trying. My number has been the same for five years and not once during that time did you try again after those first few months after we broke up.” Another buzz came and she cursed as she moved passed the blonde, her heels tapping against the tile as she hurried to leave. “I have to go, Kara. I wish I could say we could try to be friends, but I can’t. A lot has happened over the past five years and I can’t, Kara, I just can’t.” She turned as she got into the elevator, green eyes meeting blue as she pressed the button to go down. “Goodbye,” she murmured as the doors closed and she felt the tears she had been holding back sting her eyes.

The vibration in her pocket returned and the CEO pulled out her phone again to see she was being called. Lifting it to her ear, a young female voice on the other end answered, “ _Thank God, Miss Luthor, you picked up. Lori started throwing up and won’t stop crying. Please tell me you are on your way._ ” The sound of a small crying voice carried over the phone and Lena felt her chest tighten. “ _She keeps asking for you,_ ” Lena’s sitter, Nancy, added.

Lena ran her hand through her hair as she closed her eyes, willing the damned elevator to move faster, and let out a sigh. “I’m leaving now so tell her Mama is on her way home,” she told the babysitter. “There are some saltines in the pantry and there are cans of ginger ale in the fridge. I’m sorry, I should have warned you that she gets an upset stomach easily.” The elevator opened and she found the last person she wanted to see as she was on the phone with her daughter’s sitter. There was a searching look on Kara’s face, her hair curling as it dried. “Nancy, I have to go so I can tell Paul to come get me.” She ended the call and glanced down at her screen, an image of her and her daughter, Lori, behind her apps. The little girl’s eyes were closed as she laughed at whatever Sam, who had taken the picture, told her as Lena looked adoringly at her child. “I told you I can’t do this, Kara,” she said with a hint of ice in her voice. She didn’t want to be cold to the woman she still had feelings for, to the woman who she wanted more than anything to get wrapped up in the arms of. But she couldn’t. Not now. Not ever.

“You have a daughter.” It was a statement more than a question, the blonde’s habit of eavesdropping still going strong it seemed. “Why didn’t you tell me? How old is she? Why haven’t I heard anything about her in the media?” Lena looked at the ground as she attempted to walk past the blonde before Kara grabbed her wrist. The brunette flinched and kept her eyes on the ground. “Lena.”

Lena glanced around, giving a small shake of her head to the security guard that looked like he was about to move. “Okay, two things,” Lena murmured softly as she glanced around to make sure they weren’t overheard. “First, if you don’t let me go, Bill will come over here and make you leave. And second, I don’t have to tell you anything, Kara. My personal life is my personal life. Now, I really need to go home. And don’t tell anyone I have a child. Please, Kara.”

The blonde let go of her wrist and she gave a small nod before rushing out the door, giving Bill a small wave. Paul was out front with the car and she didn’t even stop to pull out her umbrella from her purse. As soon as the door closed, the man took off as if he could tell she was anxious to get home. As Lena sat in the back of the car, she pulled out her phone and looked at her lock screen. Lori was asleep, clutching her stuffed monkey to her, and her brown curls were held back in two braids. She had taken the picture the night before and immediately made it her lock screen. It was risky putting a picture of Lori as her lock screen, her existence a pure secret considering how she came to be. Anger flashed inside of her at the thought before it was replaced by concern as the car stopped in front of her apartment building.

“Give this to your little one, Miss Lena,” Bill told her as he turned to hand her a small plush monkey with a bag of hard caramel in its arms. “I remembered how she takes that stuffed monkey everywhere so I got her this. I only saw her the once, but she is a really cute kid.”

Lena took the stuffed monkey and candy with a smile and nodded as she put it in her purse. She rarely took Lori with her when she had Paul drive, always driving herself and Lori when she needed to go somewhere. “Thank you, Paul,” she said as she grabbed her stuff. “I’ll tell you what she thinks. Goodbye.” It was still raining as she got out of the car, but Lena didn’t care as she ducked into the building and went straight to the stairs, something she regretted since her apartment was near the top.

“Oh, thank God,” Nancy sighed as Lena walked through the door. “Miss Luthor, you’re home.” The dark haired college student was holding the sick five year old as Lori cried, a sniffled ‘Mama’ muffled against the young woman’s shoulder. “She got Bani all dirty so I had to put him in the wash and I don’t know what to do.”

The Luthor rushes over and took her child from the overwhelmed girl and pressed her lips to her child’s temple. “Shhh, I’m here,” she murmured soothingly. “Mama’s here. Let’s get something to help your tummy while we wait for Bani to get all clean for you.” Her hand formed soft circles into the little girl’s back as she bounced slightly. “Nancy, there’s a fifty in the bowl by the TV and whatever was left for dinner you can keep. Thank you so much, I’m sorry things got hectic.”

“Mama, my tummy feels funny again,” Lori mumbled as Nancy said goodbye. At the use of her first name, the five year old made a face. Lena could feel it through her shirt as she slowly headed towards the bathroom. It was rare for Lori not to tell people she preferred the name Ellie, what she started calling herself when she could speak. However, it was only people she wasn’t close with that she insisted call her Ellie and Lena worried her extreme caution with Lori was rubbing off on her. The heart to stop the little girl from using the nickname was not something Lena had, the name Ellie reminding her too much of a certain blonde. The same blonde who Lori got her eyes from. The same blonde who had no idea Lori was hers or even existed until earlier that day.

A sigh passed still red lips as the little brunette rested her chin on the seat of the toilet and Lena stood to start taking off her makeup. “After I get changed, let’s take a nice, warm bath and hopefully your tummy will feel better.” Blue eyes looked at her and it hurt to see Lori looking so unwell. She had no idea where the easily-upset stomach came from, perhaps a side effect of her origins, but it pained Lena to see her baby like that. A muttered curse aimed at her brother passed her lips as she rinsed off her face and a sigh soon followed.

“Mama, are you mad at Uncle Lex again?” Lori asked as she sat back. Nothing left her stomach which Lena took as a good sign as she dried off. The silence from the older brunette’s end seemed to be all Lori needed to see she was correct and the child met her mother’s eyes. “Why are you so upset with Uncle Lex? You never talk about him.” Lena tensed at the question and she moved to the bathroom towel closet to pull out the change of clothes she kept in there.

There was every reason to be angry at Lex. First, he hurt thousands in Metropolis over his fight with Superman and that was probably the only reason she would tell anyone. But the other reason caused her to have a terrible opinion of him before that. During his downward spiral, while she was still in college Lex figured out Kara was Kryptonian and took some of her DNA. Shortly after, Lena went home before moving into a dorm at MIT and in that time Lex used her to make his own Super as he had put it. Her own brother used her body to grow his own Kryptonian. It was vile and sickening that he could do that. But Lena would never regret having Lori. She had told the doctors to make it seem like the baby had died at birth so Lex could never get his hands on her child. Hardly anyone knew about her existence, attending school as Leia Thorul rather than Lori Luthor. Leia was her middle name so it didn’t add any confusion to the girl and Lori knew she couldn’t tell people who her mother was, but not the circumstances around how she came to be rather because of Lena’s extremely public life both she and her mother didn’t want her exposed to.

“Mama,” Lori uttered softly when her mother didn’t reply. “Can we use the galaxy bath bomb?”

A smile formed on Lena’s lips as she nodded and pulled that out as well. After quickly changing, she started the bath and pulled out a plastic cup to put water in for Lori. “Lori, test the water to see if it’s hot enough,” she said as she turned off the sink. Green eyes watched carefully as the little brunette stuck her hand into the tub and a smile formed on her lips at the thumbs up Lori gave. “Okay, get in and I’ll be right here in case you need me,” she told her daughter as she pulled out a hooded towel before moving to sit on the lid of the toilet.

The room became silent save for the sound of the bath and Lori humming. The girl was getting too old for Lena to sit in the bathroom with her but after everything she felt she was allowed to be overprotective and coddling. Lori was the best thing in her life and she was constantly afraid that one day she would lose her. She feared that someone would take her child or she would get caught in the crossfire of someone trying to take Lena’s life. It was why she kept her daughter’s existence a secret, though one she knew she would have to bring out into the open one day. She already had a plan forming in her head if the fact she had a daughter got out. A shaky breath left her lips as she set her phone on her lap and closed her eyes.

“Mama, towel,” Lori said peeking out from behind the shower curtain with her hand outstretched. The older Luthor handed her child the towel and stood up to leave the bathroom, laughing when damp hair clung to her neck as Lori jumped onto her back. “What’s for dinner? Did you order Chinese? I smell Chinese. Are we eating Chinese?”

Before Lena could reply, there was a knock at the door and she crouched down to get Lori off her back. “Baby, go get dressed in your pjs and lock your door. I’ll get you after I’ve dealt whoever is at the door.” The little girl looked at her mother for a moment before Lena kissed her damp hair and she scampered off. The heart inside her chest pounded as she ran a hand through her hair and pushed up the sleeves of her MIT sweatshirt as she walked to her front door. Part of her wasn’t surprised to see a certain blonde in the hall holding Chinese food, especially after Lori’s nose had picked up the aroma. “Kara, what are you doing here?”

The blonde was obviously anxious as she rubbed at her wrist. She was dressed in clothes that actually looked planned out and her eyes never left the ground. It was a classic Kara apology. Chinese food, anxious that Lena would send her away, and guilt swimming in blue eyes. “I’m sorry I assumed you would want to catch up. And I’m sorry for listening in on your conversation.”

Lena leaned against the doorframe and glanced at the two bags of Chinese food Kara held. “I can’t let you in,” she told the Kryptonian softly. Part of her wanted to let the blonde in, both into her apartment and into her life again. That same part regretted not reaching out when she learned she would have Lori, knowing she would need someone to help her especially if Lori inherited powers. “Kara, I-“

“Mama, Bani is still wet,” Lori whines as she emerged from the hall. Lena’s chest tightened as her breath hitched in her throat and she rushed over to pick up her child, glancing at Kara to see her expression. The blonde had grown tense and her eyes locked on the five year old. It was unclear if she had recognized some of the little girl’s features as her own but it was clear seeing the child rattled her. “Should I have left him in the dryer longer? Who’s that, Mama?”

Lena gently placed her hand on the back of Lori’s head to hide her face, not wanting Kara to figure out Lori was also hers, and turned back to Kara. “We’ll put Bani back in the dryer soon,” she told her child. “But right now, Mama’s friend brought Chinese food however she can’t stay. We will have to catch up later.” It was either that her hold was too gentle or that Lori was just stronger than her but two sets of blue eyes met and the recognition in one pair was clear before shocked blue eyes settled on Lena. Tears formed in her eyes as she tightened her hold on her daughter, looking away from the eyes that had turned questioning. “Baby, go to your room. Please, Lori, go and stay there until I get you.”

It was tense as Kara took a step inside while Lena set the child down so that she could do as she was told. The same arms that had been holding the child wrapped around herself as she kept her eyes on the floor. “Lena, is that-? Is she-? Her eyes-.” It seemed impossible for her to finish a thought and Kara closed the door before walking into the apartment to put the food down. “Who’s the father?”

“Kara,” Lena said in a shaky, pleading voice. She wasn’t ready for this. Wasn’t ready to tell the blonde her darkest secret. Wasn’t ready to tell anyone what Lex did to her. Didn’t want to see Lori being taken from her. “Please, Kara, just let it go.”

“Who’s the father?” Kara asked again in a harsher tone, almost accusingly. There were countless emotions on her face as Lena dared to look into her hurt blue eyes. Anger, shock, confusion, betrayal. It all showed on the blonde’s face. “Answer me, Lena.”

“There is no father,” Lena said giving in. She glanced down the hall at the closed room that belonged to Lori. “He used your DNA,” she choked out as a couple of tears fell. She wiped at her eyes as she turned back to Kara. “She’s your daughter, Kara. She’s half Kryptonian.” Shock won out over all the other emotions on Kara’s face and she walked in a daze to the living room to sit on a couch. “Please don’t take her from me,” she begged, the fears that had been plaguing her for five years surfacing. “I don’t know what I would do without her, she’s my whole world. I know I’m only human and that I’m just a Luthor, but she needs me and I need her.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” The question held an accusation in the words, the tone sharp and shocked on Kara’s lips. “Why didn’t you tell me, Lena? You have five years to say something but you didn’t even say hi or tell me you had a kid. And Lex did what? How did he do this without you knowing? Does he know about her?” Lena was silent and anger flashed over Kara’s face. “Answer me!” the blonde exclaimed as she stood causing Lena to flinch.

“I was afraid you would take her,” Lena confessed as she looked down. “I thought you would take her and that I would never see her again. That because I was a Luthor I couldn’t raise her to be good.” She walked over to one of the discarded toys on the floor and picked it up, looking at the bear in her hand as she smiled. “I did a good job, though, and I love her so much despite it all. So please, Kara, please don’t take her from me. It would break me to see her taken from me.” It hurt so much just thinking about someone taking Lori, and it was just a struggle to keep the sobs from her throat from coming out. The only thing keeping her together was the fact that Lori was in her room away from this argument, safe from the truth behind what she is. Lena would never let Lori know she was the product of an experiment, a deranged plot Lex concocted.

The tension laid heavy in the room as the only sound was Lena struggling to hold back her tears. “Her name is Lori?” Kara asked after a long moment. Her hands were clenching and unclenching as Lena walked over to the other couch to sit next to coloring books and plastic toys she could have sworn she asked Lori to put away. The brunette nodded as she clutched the bear tightly and Kara’s jaw clenched as she gripped her knees so hard her knuckles turned white. “And Lex used you to basically grow his own Kryptonian?” Another nod from Lena as she wiped at her face with the back of her hand. “I want to meet her,” Kara said, her voice growing wet. Lena looked up startled by the shift in emotion and saw tears forming in blue eyes. “Officially. You don’t have to tell her she’s mine as well, but she’s my daughter too, Lee. And I want some tests run on her by professionals that understand alien biology.”

“Kara, I will not let my daughter be poked and prodded by scientists after saving her from being used by an evil one!” Lena snapped harsher than she had intended. A shaky breath passed her lips and she closed her eyes. “Your DNA might have been used to make her, but she’s _my_ daughter. I raised her for five years, I carried her inside of me for nine months, I paid off the doctors to fake her death at birth, I’m her mother and her sole protector.” She paused and took a deep breath. Her hands threaded through raven locks as she let out a deep breath. “I’ll let you give her a checkup, but I need you to guarantee me nothing will happen to her and that I can stay with her the entire time. I need you to promise me, Kara, that she will not be taken from me.” The blonde nodded and the Luthor woman relaxed slightly as she let out a heavy sigh.

A soft cry for Lena came from Lori’s room and she knew it was passed time for dinner. “We’ll talk about this later,” Kara told her as the brunette stood to go get the five year old. “Do you want me to stay or do you want me to leave?” There was no reply and the blonde shifted in her seat unsure of what to do. She wasn’t going to eavesdrop, not again, so she sat there in silence for a few minutes before the sound of Lena’s feet on the wood floors reached her ears.

“A certain someone has to go to bed soon but since Mama’s friend nice enough to bring food, I will allow a few extra minutes before bedtime,” Lena announced as she carried their daughter out into the living room. Kara moved to stand and the brunette shook her head, whispering to Lori before the little girl whispered back.  “I’ll bring the food over, put on _The Magic School Bus_ and we’ll watch an episode while we eat.”

The woman placed the five year old on the couch Kara was on and left to go get the food. The little girl looked at the blonde with curious eyes and the Kryptonian noticed she was wearing Supergirl pjs. She wondered if Lena had gotten them without hesitation or if she got them reluctantly. Based on how faded they were from getting washed too many times, it was more likely that Lori had begged for them. The child pointed wordlessly and Kara followed the little finger to see a remote on the coffee table. She grabbed it and handed it to Lori.

“Thank you,” the child said as she pulled up the show her mother said they could watch. It amazed Kara how much Lori looked like Lena but still resembled her. She was something that should be impossible. But there she sat, blue eyes and brown hair that reached just below her little shoulders. She had her nose but Lena’s lips and brows. The shape of the eyes was all Lena but the shape of the face was her. “Mama said you used to be a special friend,” Lori said as she scooted closer to Kara. “Were you a special friend like Aunt Sam and Uncle Jack?”

There was a blush on Kara’s face when Lena got back and she was quite certain she had just saved the blonde from an embarrassing situation. When her daughter asked if Kara was a special friend like Sam and Jack she understood exactly what had caused the blonde to blush. “Lori, don’t ask questions like that,” she gently scolded the girl as the five year old moved to sit on her lap. “Remember what we talked about earlier?” Giving the little brunette a kiss on the back of her head, she began pulling out food, thankful Kara got large portions since the child had inherited her appetite, and glanced at the blonde. “Next time, call before coming over,” she advised before shifting her gaze down to the child on her lap to make sure she actually eats. Lori had a massive habit of pushing around her food despite her appetite, probably something she learned from her mother who often gets too stressed to eat.

“So, Lori,” Kara attempted to say to lead into a conversation. A grumpy expression appeared on the girl’s face as she settled back against Lena and the older Luthor sighed as she shook her head. A slender hand moves to run a thumb across one of Lori’s cheeks and Kara felt confused at the reaction she got from speaking. Did Lori not like to talk when she ate?

“It’s Ellie,” Lori practically shouted angrily as Lena pressed her lips to brown hair. “Mama, tell her to call me Ellie. I like the name Ellie.” She shoveled a large scoop of food into her mouth and Kara could guess she got her appetite. Green eyes gave her a pleading look as Lena whispered softly to their upset daughter and Kara felt her heart pound at the fact Lori preferred the name Ellie, the name reminding her of House and family. “Only Mama, Aunt Sam, Aunt Lucy, and Uncle Jack can call me Lori.”

Or maybe it was just outsiders who couldn’t use her real name. Wait, Lucy? Kara looked at Lena who was avoiding her gaze and she could tell the woman knew the blonde was friends with the short woman which meant Lucy knew Lori was her daughter as well but Lena made her promise not to tell. It was strange meeting someone who knew Lena before her, the two having gone to school together in Metropolis since elementary school. Granted, Lena was younger but she had also skipped a few grades. “Okay, Ellie, what grade are you in? How old are you?”

Lori held up four fingers and Lena smiled as she uncurled her thumb to make it five. “She’s in kindergarten at National City Academy,” she said for the small child who had her mouth full of food. She had only eaten a small amount herself before switching to run her fingers through Lori’s hair. It calmed her to just smooth back her daughter’s hair, the physical reminder that she is okay a relief, and her daughter loved it so it was a win-win. “I hear only the best things from her teachers and they adore her.”

“Do they know she’s your child?” Kara asked, cursing herself afterwards when Lena froze in her petting of Lori’s hair. It must have been a sore spot for the woman, having to keep her child a secret from the world. It would be disastrous if it got out Lori existed, both for Lena and Lori, and so letting the teachers know would not be a good idea. Lena Luthor being seen at one of the private schools in the city would cause a lot of rumors and it would only end with the truth getting out.

No one spoke for a while making it awkward and uncomfortable for both women. Lori seemed content with her food and mother giving her affection and after a while it felt like Kara was imposing. Why she thought coming over would be a good idea, she didn’t know, and why she thought staying after figuring out Lori was her daughter as well through some science experiment would be okay was also way beyond her understanding. She was never part of the family and it was too late for Lori to be her daughter, too. It would just make things worse to overstay her attempt at apologizing.

“I think, I’m going to go,” Kara said as she stood. Lena felt an ounce of relief fill her chest at the announcement due to Lori starting to doze off. She moved her daughter around on her lap so that she could carry her as she stood to walk out the blonde. “I’m sorry for coming so suddenly, I really shouldn’t have. And I’m sorry.” There was a pause as blue eyes looked down. There was guilt and regret forming a stormy sea in those sapphire eyes and Lena silently begged Kara not to mention their relationship. The feelings she had been pushing down over the past five years had threatened to break past the walls she placed around her heart and if the blonde kept it up she would be lost to it all. “For everything,” Kara finished.

Lena rested her cheek against Lori’s head and smiled faintly at the blonde. She would regret what she was about to say, would regret it in the end when this all came crashing down around her. “Hey, why don’t we get some coffee one day? Catch up? I am going to need you to sign some stuff so we need to meet again anyway.” She saw the flicker of hope light up Kara’s blue eyes and she felt her heart speed up at the sight. The blonde didn’t have feelings for her anymore, it was just hope that she would allow her to see Lori more. “Thank you, for the food.” She paused as Lori nuzzled her face into the curve of her neck and tightened her hold on her daughter. “It was nice seeing you again after so long. I’ll see you later.” Kara smiled at her before waving and leaving, clearly not wanting to say anything more to keep from messing up. Lena wish she would learn she could never mess up with her.

“Mama, I’m tired,” Lori mumbled into her neck as her mother closed the door. “Can I sleep with you tonight?”

Lena pressed a long kiss to the side of her daughter’s head and smiled as she rested her cheek against her baby’s head. “Of course, monkey,” she murmured softly as she made a stop at the little girl’s room to grab her blanket and Bani. There was a damp spot on the bed where the still drying plush had been and Lena padded through the hall to the laundry room to toss the stuffed monkey in the dryer for a minute or two. “I need to take care of some things tonight so get settled in and I’ll be right back,” she told Lori as she carried her into her bedroom. It wasn’t uncommon for the little brunette to climb into bed with her at night and they had a routine for nights when Lori wanted to sleep with her and she had things to do. It was hard being a single mom but Lena was lucky to have her friends and, as much as she disliked to admit it, her family’s money. But in National City, all she had was Lori and Lucy. Jack and Sam were in Metropolis and she was reluctant to ask them for help considering she dated them while still in love with Kara. Not something she liked to admit but it was the truth and it made seeing the blonde complicated. As much as she wanted Kara to know Lori, she knew they couldn’t be a family.

Setting Lori down on her bed, she tucked the little girl in and smoothed back her hair. She was so precious and part of Lena didn’t want to leave her, but she knew she had to change Lori’s sheets and set out her clothes for the next day. It was only almost half past eight, twenty-six minutes after Lori’s bedtime and she hoped there wouldn’t be any issues in the morning. As Lena worked on the housework she had, her mind wandered to what Kara asked about if the school knew Lori was hers. Of course they did, she had told them about the fact Lori was enrolling under a fake name and why. She left out how her daughter came to be, but mentioned the fact there have been attempts on her life and so she wanted her daughter to not be tied to her directly. To the rest of the school, excluding Lori’s teachers and the principle, Lori, aka Leia Thorul, was the daughter of a close friend who was sick so Lena took her to school and met with the teachers. The press hadn’t seemed to hear about it but she was just waiting for it to get out.

The dryer beeped and she closed the washer, turning it on, before taking out the yellow monkey Lori took everywhere with her. Lena had no idea where the fascination with monkeys came from but since she was a baby, Lori loved them. Bani had been the first thing Lena got her, thankful her usual outfits are so different from the CEO attire she wears that she hadn’t been noticed with an infant Lori in public, and the little girl has treasured it since. It was named after the first sounds Lori made, with some tweaks to make it an actual name, and it had a special place in Lena’s heart as well. She ran a thumb over where she had sewn in Lori’s name on the foot of the plush, taking a page out of _Toy Story’s_ book, and smiled as she returned to her room where Lori laid sleeping. She gently lifted her daughter’s arm to slip Bani in under and tucked the covers around the child before walking over to her desk to grab her laptop and glasses to do some work on her bed.

As soon as Lena sat on the bed, Lori shifted and turned so that she clutched her mother’s sweatshirt and snuggled up against the older brunette. Placing a hand on her daughter’s back, she turned on the device on her lap and pulled up her emails. There was one from Lucy about the NDA for Lori’s nanny and some blueprints from Jack. She ignored the email from her mother asking to meet for lunch tomorrow, Lena already having plans to have Lori with her since it was a half day. The rest were from work and she addressed them the best she could one handed with little visibility. A little speech bubble popped up at the bottom corner of the screen and she narrowed her eyes at the sight of the name. She gently pressed Lori closer to her side as she pulled up the chat and replied.

 

_Clark: I heard Kara paid you a visit. I’m guessing your plans to keep her from Ellie didn’t work._

_Lena: Clark, this is none of your business. Lori stopped being your business after you helped me stay away from Lex during those nine months. Kara approached me, I stayed away like you asked. I don’t want to see her get hurt either nor do I want my child getting attached only for Kara to leave again._

_Clark: I just don’t want Kara getting hurt by getting involved with your family. I just wanted to give you an update on something that tried to get into the_ Daily Planet _paper for tomorrow. Lois managed to stop it but this is the fifth image that was sent here in a month. Lena, if you want to protect Lori and keep her from Lex and the people who are after your life for your brother’s crimes, then try to keep a lower profile. I know she’s a kid, but a park in the middle of National City?_

_Lena: I already have a plan set in place if Lori being my daughter gets out. Jack said he will claim to be her father and that we didn’t want her out in the public eye. It’s a partial truth. I won’t deny her a childhood and I trust you and Kara will keep an ear out for anything. Plus, I’ll take a bullet for my daughter which would buy either of you time if you don’t make it on time._

_Clark: Don’t talk like that, Lena, you know I don’t want you dead. I just want you and Lori safe. You’re family. Stronger together_

_Lena:_ El Mayarah

 

She logged off the chat and sighed as she processed the news. It had been stupid of her but Lori desperately wanted to play at the park. She thought about when she and Clark made their deal. Lena wouldn’t let Kara get hurt over the fact her DNA had been used to create what was supposed to be Lex’s own Super and Clark would protect Lena from the media and in general. She had been desperate and scared. She never wanted Kara to know so the deal was the perfect plan. She had been close with Clark because of Kara and Lex but as time passed it became more like he was the bringer of bad news. Each time he contacted her it was about a new photo or video sent to the _Daily Planet_ and it meant time was running out. Jack and herself were working on protective technology for Lori while Sam prepared to move to National City to both help with the company and with Lori. Lucy had connections and put together NDA forms for her so that she could protect Lori as much as she could. Everything was for her daughter. And for Kara, to protect her from the knowledge she was a mother without planning to be. Like Clark continued to say over the last five years, Lena and Lori were family, but that didn’t mean Kara wanted that no matter how much Lena might have. Not like this, but she would never regret Lori. Never. A new speech bubble appeared on her screen and she clicked on it, her body tensing as she looked at the name of the sender before closing her laptop, setting it aside with her glasses so she could curl up with her child and fall asleep. The message was clear in her brain and she knew she had to do something about it the next day.

 

_Cat Grant: We need to talk about a certain munchkin who has been brought to my awareness._


	2. Chapter 2

As soon Lori was dropped off at school, Lena went straight to Catco to figure out what Cat Grant wanted from her. She had been keeping her child’s existence a careful secret, fully aware of the possible outcomes if Lori was known, and, despite a few slip ups when she let her daughter be a kid, she had been doing a good job at protecting her child. Her heels clicked against the tile flooring of the building as she practically radiated ice walking up to the elevator. An intern scurried out of the box when she got in, fear clear on his face, and an odd satisfaction filled her chest. Perhaps if she kept it up, Cat will keep whatever she had on Lori under lock and key.

“Lena?” Kara’s voice questioned as the Luthor got off on the floor containing Cat’s office. The blonde flinched when the CEO spun around to look at the alien and she watched as blue eyes grew confused and her body grew tense as her hands curled into tight fists. “Why are you here? You look dressed to kill. Not literally but you know what I mean. But I was also going to stop by later, I think we need to talk. I mean, we can’t talk her about what we need to talk about but I didn’t think it would be best to talk last night with you-know-who around.” It was clear she wanted to talk about Lori and Lena was expecting that, shock often muting the blonde’s other emotions with big things like learning about Lori would be. She had been prepared for shouting, certain the blonde would have if Lori hadn’t been in the apartment.

Any other time, Lena would have laughed at Kara’s rambling, but at that moment she was ready to kill and possibly literally if her baby was at risk of being put in danger. She knew what Lex would do to get a young, impressionable child to mold into his own weapon. She knew what the people who wanted her and her family dead would do. “Is Cat Grant in her office?” she asked, her voice cold as she glanced around. “I need to talk to her. Now.” She didn’t mean to snap at the blonde, guilt burrowing into her chest at the wounded look in those blue eyes, but all that was on her mind was the fact she had to protect her baby.

“Lena!” a familiar voice exclaimed as Lucy Lane came into view. Lena forgot she worked at Catco still and hoped the shorter woman would realize she wasn’t in the mood to chat. The Luthor didn’t miss the way Kara shot a glare at the younger Lane, most likely having already spoken to her about keeping Lori from her knowledge. The Lane grew more solemn as she glanced at their mutual friend and cleared her throat. “I have those documents you asked for if you want to stop by my office later,” she informed the other brunette before continuing on the path she had been taking.

“You know, you and Lucy were never friends when we were together,” Lena pointed out to the blonde who was glaring at the floor. The heroine must not want to lash out to badly so that she could be allowed to see Lori but it was clear the appearance of Lucy had sparked more anger into the blonde. “She hated you because she thought you would break my heart.”

“But it wasn’t me who did, was it?” It was a low blow referencing Lori, referring to Lex and how he used her. A very low blow. The brunette’s breath hitched and her eyes narrowed as she fought to stay in control. She didn’t need Kara breaking through the internal regalia she had donned for her battle to protect her daughter. If Cat Grant had information on Lori, she would use everything in her power to silence the woman. “I have work to do, Ms. Grant is in her office.”

Lena gave a nod and walked further into the floor. Sure enough, the older woman was in her office eating M&Ms from a cup. There was no knock to alert the woman to her presence, she simply walked in and shut the glass doors behind her. “I got your message,” Lena told her as she glared at the woman. “So, here I am.”

Cat looked up and smirked as she leaned back. “Yes, here you are,” she responded as she gestured towards the chair across from her. Lena moved forward but was hesitant to sit down. Standing she had the upper hand and it gave her more confidence. However, Cat was the one with the info on Lori and could ruin everything she had done over the past five years. The blonde rolled her eyes and sighed. “Don’t act like standing will help you, we aren’t going to get into some silly argument, Lena. Just sit so we can talk.”

The Luthor narrowed her eyes as she sat down and leaned back in the chair as she studied the older woman. “What do you want, Cat? Just get to the point, we are both busy women and I have something to do at noon so let’s have this talk you want to have.” She only had a few hours before it was time to pick up Lori from school and she was hoping to have food with her for the five year old. Not only that, but her hands were trembling as she crossed her arms over her chest. Her daughter’s life was at stake and it was her duty to protect her child.

Cat raised a brow before pulling out a file folder and placing it in front of the brunette. “These were sent to me yesterday along with a video,” the fellow CEO told her as Lena picked up the folder. It was her and Lori at the park, most of the pictures just of her child who was unmistakably hers and a few including her watching the little girl play adoringly. “I’m not going to publish it. You obviously have your reasons for not wanting your daughter known to the public, but I will tell you that I’m not the only one to get this. Perry White sent me an email saying how he found the same pictures in Lois Lane’s possession, though, there was no video. I doubt the _Daily Planet_ would publish these either but others will. I just wanted to warn you, Lena.”

Everything was ruined. Lex would learn about Lori, the people who hated her just because of her last name would know about how there was another Luthor, and she had no idea what would happen. They weren’t ready for this yet, only half of the plan was but not the parts that could ensure her daughter’s safety. Lena never told Clark but the small girl had already started showing signs of inheriting Kara’s abilities. If it got out that Lori had alien powers then she would be in even more danger and so would Lena herself. Anti-alien extremists would try to kill both herself for being with an alien and Lori for half being one. Thankfully, all Lori had power wise was a small bit of strength and her body healed faster. The little girl still got scrapes and bruises but they healed in a day or less depending. Lena would never tell Clark, something about how quick he was to help her suspicious in her mind.

“Why do I feel like you have more to say than just warning me?” Lena asked as she looked up from her daughter’s face to look at Cat’s. “It’s not like you to take your time with things like this, Cat. I’ve seen you interviewing my brother while he was still seen as good, I know you get straight to the hard-hitting questions.”

Cat raised a brow and took the pictures back. “I expected more of a reaction to these but I guess you've seen this coming.” The brunette didn’t reply as she waited for Cat to go on. Her CEO persona was out in full force as she kept her expression neutral to not show any emotion. Inside, she was terrified and concerned. “Let Catco run a piece on you and your daughter. We’ll use pictures taken by a professional rather than these blurry cell phone trash. You can have your pick of my reporters to write it and you can get final say after it passes through me. You can get ahead of this or let shit hit the fan. Your choice, Lena.”

Lena took a moment to think, running over all the plans that had been devised just for this. “Give me time to talk to my daughter and her father. Unless you only want me and her in the article. And Mr. Olsen works here, yes? Either him or you to write the article if that is the option I pick.” She stood and smiled at the blonde as she pulled her phone from her pocket as if she had gotten a message. “I hand to get going but I’ll let you know.”

“By Friday, Ms. Luthor.”

Lena frowned after she turned and made her way out of the woman’s office to go find Lucy. Unfortunately, as soon as she made her way for the elevator, Kara grabbed her arm and dragged her away to an office away from everyone else. It was bare, as if she just got it, and it was filled with tension. The brunette ran her fingers through her hair as she sighed and looked at the Kryptonian closing the door. “Kara, I have to go. I need to make some calls before picking up my daughter.”

“ _Our_ daughter,” Kara corrected as she couldn’t help but glare at Lena. She hadn’t allowed herself to be angry the previous night, not with Lori there, and she couldn’t get into a heated discussion with the woman in the middle of work. So, this was the best solution for her need to get everything off her chest. “Lori is _our_ daughter. How could you not tell me about this, Lena? It wasn’t like we broke up cause we wanted nothing to do with each other, we still planned on being friends.” She struggled to keep the volume reasonable as her words tasted oddly bitter in her mouth, tipped with venom. It frustrated her since she _knew_ Lena knew how much she wanted to have a family again, a family who could stay with her through the many years she would spend on this Earth.

Lena sighed and closed her eyes. So, it was going to be like this. Couldn’t Kara understand what she was going through? She was eighteen and feeling utterly betrayed by the only person who had felt like family. Then Clark came and told her to keep it a secret if she wanted protection of any kind. What else was she supposed to do? All she did in the beginning was struggle, struggle through her postpartum depression which added onto her usual depression, struggle through being a single mother with a newborn with no support until a year later when she finally broke down and told Lucy, and she struggled through protecting Lori because it meant she couldn’t be a normal kid and that broke her heart.

“What did you expect, Kara? For me to tell you happily that we were expecting?” Lena snapped as she dropped her purse onto the ground. Her fingers weaved into her black locks as she opened her eyes and found blue eyes filled with anger and hurt. “I was eighteen and had no clue what I was doing. If it wasn’t for Lucy and the internet, I don’t know if Lori would have lived as long as she has. I wanted to tell you, I did, but I couldn’t. Not after the deal I made with-” Lena cut herself off and shook her head.

“What deal?” Kara asked as she felt herself tense up. First Lucy and now someone else? Who else knew about Lori and didn’t tell her? Lucy she could understand, they never got along until after she told the woman she was an alien and even then they still had that tension between them. “Who else knows, Lena? I’m done with secrets, especially since it involves family.”

“She’s not your family!” Tears stung Lena’s eyes as she realized what she had said and Kara stared at her with hurt clear on her face. It was true, though, at least in her eyes. Kara had just been an unaware donor of DNA just as Lena had been an unwilling incubator. The blonde wasn’t there during the past five years, not even a call or message. She had just called a few times, the day after Lena realized what Lex has done and during the following week when Lena was a mess of thoughts of suicide and abortion, and that was it. After nine months with no other attempt of contact, no one could blame her for thinking the blonde wanted nothing to do with her. And how could she tell the woman she had loved that they had a daughter conceived through some twisted experiment? Considering everything, Lena was just glad to make it through those first months alive with Lori.

“You weren’t there, Kara,” Lena continued, all the emotions she had kept bottled up and locked away out. “You never even came to see me, called me except during the worst week of my life, you didn’t even try to get in touch when Lex went to jail! How was I supposed to know you wanted to be around me? How was I supposed to know you wouldn’t take the only person I had left in my life away, the only good thing in the shitstorm that is my life? Everything I’ve ever done over the past five years was for her and I did it alone. I was alone, Kara! I couldn’t even let her be a normal child, always keeping her in the apartment so she wouldn’t be seen. She’s five years old and the first time we ever went to a park was last week. You didn’t see her first steps or hear her first word. You weren’t there for teething or colds. You were too busy not wanting anything to do with me!”

Tears were streaming down Lena’s face as Kara struggled to keep her hands from shaking. She was thankful the walls were thick enough to keep anyone from hearing Lena, her voice broken and accusing, though Kara could tell it was aimed at the brunette herself. The blonde fought the urge to comfort the woman, anger still flowing through her veins despite the shock that had taken over at Lena’s outburst. Her daughter was kept from her, she had a daughter, and, despite how she came to be, Lori was still family whether Lena felt like it or not. She only stopped calling because she thought Lena didn’t want to talk to her, that she changed her mind about being friends. She had thought about calling after Lex but thought the woman would need time. She had no idea what was going on, how could she?

“Who else knows, Lena?” Kara asked through gritted teeth, struggling not to lash out. She wanted a chance at seeing Lori again and yelling at Lena would be a sure-fire way to make sure that never happened. The younger woman pleaded at her with reddened eyes as she gently wiped at her face gingerly to not mess up the clearly waterproof or activewear makeup she had on. Either the answer would hurt or Lena just didn’t want to say, but Kara just wanted to be past the secrets. “Who else knows?”

Lena took a shaky breath and looked at the ground as she wrapped her arms around herself. “Clark,” she murmured. Kara sucked in a sharp breath and she flinched as she added, “Lois, too, since they worked on stopping anything about Lori getting through to print.”

“Go,” Kara uttered as she moved away from the door, her eyes closed. There was a faint glow coming from behind the eyelids and Lena froze. She had only seen Kara get angry enough to trigger her heat vision only once and it was over Lucy claiming that Kara wasn’t good enough for Lena that the younger woman would just get hurt by the blonde. “Leave, Lena,” Kara urged.

The Luthor picked up her purse and gave the blonde one last look before leaving. Almost immediately, she ran into Lucy and the tears welled up in her eyes again. A muffled sob came from behind the closed door to Kara’s office and that was all it took to tip Lena over the edge. It was a sound she knew all too well, the same sob falling from her own lips when she learned she was pregnant and what Lex had done. It was a cry of betrayal. She shouldn’t have told the blonde her cousin knew about Lori, but she was done with secrets, too. And that’s why she cried, because she finally regretted something involving Lori.

 

~~~

 

“Thank you, Jack,” Lena said as she parked in front of Lori’s school. It had taken thirty minutes for her to calm down, Lucy taking her to her office so no one would find her crying. She had always hated fighting with Kara but this time was worse than all the other fights combined. Lori barely knew Kara, she couldn’t think it was okay to just waltz into their lives and be part of the family. Even Sam and Jack were hardly family and Lena had dated them for two years each when Lori was old enough remember them. The whole situation was a mess and now with having to reveal Lori to the world it was going to get messier. Thankfully, Jack still agreed to pretend to be Lori’s father and is willing to be in any article he needs to be in. He was the most recent person she dated so Lori would be most familiar with him and she had taken to him so well that Lena was sure that the plan would work out.

With a sigh, Lena removed her keys and got out of her car. Right now, it was time to take care of Lori. She had an exciting day planned out for an afternoon in the office. She had her tablet with her for daughter to watch the Star Wars trilogy, a puzzle for them to do when work is slow, and then she would give Lori a tour of the labs. The thought of spending time with her daughter made her chest warm and the Luthor climbed the steps to enter the building. It was a short walk to her daughter’s classroom and she smiled as she saw her daughter playing with blocks with another little girl.

“Miss Luthor,” the teacher’s aide greeted as Lena quietly entered the room. Not many kids were left, the school Lori attended having the parents pick up the younger children from their classrooms, and Lena wasn’t the only parent there watching their child playing after school. “It’s good to see you, Ellie was such an angel today. She was talking about how she would be spending the afternoon with you rather than with the sitter.”

Lena smiled and looked at her child. “That’s always good to hear,” she said as she looked at the woman. “I’m going to be picking her up more often, actually, and I’ll be editing the list of people who can pick her up.” It was part of the plan to involve Jack more in Lori’s life once her existence becomes public, but after things with Kara she was considering letting her spend time with Lori. The five year old was still Lena’s daughter but, while Kara couldn’t be family, she could still get to know the child her DNA helped create. “Leia,” Lena called out using the name Lori was registered at the school under. Her daughter looked up at her and beamed before bounding over to her. “Hey, baby, how was your day?” she asked as she knelt down in front of her child.

“I had lots of fun today,” Lori told her holding out her arms to get picked up. Lena stood as she lifted up her daughter and waved goodbye to her teacher and the aide. “Backpack and Bani.” A little finger was pointed in the direction of one of the low tables where Lori’s backpack was located. It was clear her stuffed monkey was inside of it and Lena walked over to grab it to slip it onto her shoulder that was not primarily holding the child. “Are we going to get lunch?”

Lena smiled as she pressed a kiss to Lori’s head and nodded. “Anything you want, sweetie,” Lena answered as she descended the steps on the way to the car. “And then we are going to have a wonderful time at Mama’s office while I finish up some work.” She set Lori in her car seat and strapped her child in before setting the backpack next to her. “I have something to ask of you when we get home, too.” She looked into blue eyes as Lori gave her a confused look and brushed back brown hair. “But that’s for home. Let’s go to my office and then you can watch as much Star Wars as you want.”

She placed one last kiss on her daughter’s head before getting in the car herself and pulled out of the lot. Adjusting the mirror to look at Lori, she thought of who her precious child got her eyes from and sighed softly as she put on Lori’s playlist. “Can we get burgers?” Lori asked as she kicked her feet slightly. Lena hummed her approval and set up the GPS to direct her towards the nearest fast food place with burgers. “Mama?” Lori asked almost hesitantly. Lena looked back briefly to see an uncertain look on her child’s face. “Who’s my daddy?” If the car hadn’t just gotten to a stoplight, Lena was certain they would have crashed. “Everyone else knows their daddy but me.”

Lena’s grip on the steering wheel tightened as she clenched her jaw and she struggled to keep her emotions in check. She had been waiting for this moment but she never expected it to happen with Kara around. She planned to tell Lori everything when she was older, telling the little girl that there was no father when she asked. But now, with Kara in the same city and aware of Lori, it was tempting to tell Lori the truth despite the fact it would always be just the two of them for Lena.

“Sweetie, I need you to listen very carefully to me,” she began as she made her way into the parking lot of the fast food place. She turned in her seat and looked at her daughter. “I love you so much and nothing will ever change that. There is a reason you don’t know who your father is and I’ll explain what I can when we get to the office. Okay?” Lori nodded and looked at her lap as Lena smiled before going to the drive thru. Her body was buzzing with nerves as she gripped onto the steering wheel as if it was the only way to keep herself together.

Fifteen tense minutes filled with Disney music later, Lena lifted Lori out of her seat and set her down as she collected the girl’s things. Completely aware of the rules whenever she came to the office, the small brunette gripped onto Lena’s skirt and didn’t leave her side. Something inside her heart ached at how many rules and guidelines were in place for Lori. Hopefully, however, that would change soon. As they walked towards the underground parking garage elevator, Lena taking her daughter’s hand, she couldn’t help but smile at the way her daughter skipped along. Soft humming reached the older brunette’s ears as they got to the elevator doors. It was _Hakuna Matata_ and Lena wasn’t that surprised since she had let Lori watch some of the movie while they got ready that morning.

“Can I have a lollipop when I get to your office, Mama?” Lori asked as she looked up at her mother, flexing the hand holding Lena’s as if unable to contain her desire for the sugary treat. “Please,” the little girl added as she bounced slightly on the balls of her feet.

Lena smiled and picked up her daughter as the doors slid open for them to step into the metal box. “After our talk, baby,” she told her while placing a kiss on the child’s temple. She pressed the button for the floor her office was on. She shifted the hand the bag of fast food was in as she hefted up her child so she wouldn’t fall. She would forever be grateful that Lori was a tiny child, barely reaching her hips even without shoes on. It gave her a few extra years to coddle and hold the tiny brunette, something she would not take for granted, and it didn’t worry the woman due to the fact she had been a small child herself.

It didn’t take long for them to reach their floor and Lena set Lori down so that she could skip over to Jess’ desk and greet the woman. “Ms. Jess, good afternoon,” the child greeting. Both women glanced at each other, Jess holding back a giggle as Lena watched with pride. Lori was such good child when her honest nature didn’t make her say the wrong thing. “How are you?” she added as she looked at the secretary with a tilted head.

Jess smiled and opened a drawer as she replied, “Good afternoon, Ellie. You spending time with your mama at the office?” She pulled out a bag of cookies and handed them over to the five year old. “I got these the other day from my fiancé and decided to share some just for you since your mama told me you would be coming soon.”

“How is Ari?” Lena asked as she plucked the bag out of her daughter’s hands. A pout so similar to Kara’s begged her to hand the baked goods over but Lena returned it with a look that said _later if you behave_. “You should bring them to the next gala. Or would it be your wedding I next see them at?” She had only seen Jess’ fiancé a few times but they were always good company. It had actually been an event Lena had put together for raising awareness for at risk LGBT youth that Ari had proposed. In a way, she felt like she had a bit of a hand in the couple moving towards the next step in their relationship.

“Ari’s good, they are still volunteering as a counselor at the LGBT and women’s center you fund,” Jess replied as she slid a piece of hard caramel towards Lori despite the look her boss was sending her. “You have messages from three different press outlets and a package came for you. Security has it since it looked sketchy. Nothing on the box but your name.”

Lena’s skin crawled as she nodded and put the bag of cookies in her bag. Without a word, she lifted her daughter, wanting to keep her as close as she could, and forced a smile on her lips. “Thank you, Jess,” she said, Lori echoing her around her candy. “I’ll be leaving around six today so feel free to do the same.” As she moved to enter her office, Lori waved at Jess and her heart filled with love for her daughter. It was time to reveal her. It was past time, really. She should have done it before having to tell Lori that her being her daughter was a secret. But then she wouldn’t have her plan.

“Can I have a cookie?” Lori asked as Lena closed the door, resting her head on her mother’s shoulder. “Please? I want to eat it while I watch a movie.” Lena didn’t reply as she pieced together how she would ask Lori how she felt about being in a photo shoot that would be featured in one of the biggest magazines in the world. She could almost feel the confused expression on Lori’s face as Lena held her daughter close, threading her fingers through brown hair and taking in the scent of her child. “Mama?”

Lena pressed a lingering, soft kiss to the top of the girl’s head and moved over to the couch in the room to sit. “Lori, I have something we need to talk about and it’s very important so I need you to listen very carefully. If you have any questions I’ll answer them, okay?” Lori nodded, leaning against the older Luthor as she stayed on her lap. Lena’s heart was pounding as anxiety seeped into her mind. What if Lori didn’t take the news well? What if she didn’t want to go along with the plan? What if it all backfired on them? Her arms tightened around the child in her lap and she felt a small hand take one of her own.

“Lori,” she continued taking a deep breath, “I told you that being a Luthor was a secret when you turned four but some things have happened that are going to make that secret known. The first thing we need to talk about is that, okay? I was asked by the Queen of Media herself if you would like to be in a photo shoot so that we could tell the work how wonderful you are before the mean people out there write what they think.”

“The Queen of Media?” Lori asked with a hint of wonder in her voice. Lena had hoped making it seem fun and exciting would help her case and it seemed to be working. “Will I get to wear pretty clothes like you, Mama, when you do your photo shoots?” It surprised Lena that Lori remembered the times when she and Lucy went with her to the different photo shoots she had had to do for different magazines. The last time she did one with Lori present was when she was two and they passed her off as Lucy’s cousin’s daughter.

Lena smiled and nodded, brushing back brown locks. “You will and, if you want, we can match too,” she replied. There was no doubt that that would be Cat’s plan for them to match and Lena wasn’t put off by the thought at all. It would be cute and fun which is exactly what they needed to be. “But, sweetheart, we are going to have to tell a small lie,” she continued, returning the conversation back onto a serious note. “We need to tell people that Uncle Jack is your father.”

Confusion was clear on her daughter’s face and little fingers twitched around the older brunette’s, a sign the little girl was trying to piece things together in her head. “But Uncle Jack isn’t my daddy,” Lori pointed out with some hesitance in her voice. “Right? You said he wasn’t. So why do we have to say he is?”

Lena tightened her hold on Lori and rested her forehead on her child’s head. “Lori, you have no father. You have two mothers.” She paused, both to let the news sink in for Lori and to battle the tears forming in her eyes. It would be best to tell Lori about Lex before he could get his hands on her and corrupt her. She had to tell her now before she cracked under the strain and couldn’t. She just couldn’t get the words out, a lump forming in her throat that threatened to choke her.

“Mama, why are you crying?” Lori asked with her concern clear in her voice. Her small hands wiped away the tears and Lena couldn’t do it. She couldn’t tell her precious child something that might hurt her. “Don’t cry, Mama.”

Lena clutched Lori to her body and buried her face in brown hair. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t tell Lori what Lex did. She wanted there to be no secrets between them when she told Lori she had another mother rather than a father but she couldn’t. She had always known she would never be able to tell Lori, made a promise she would never tell. Why she thought she could when telling Lori she had no father was beyond her, maybe it was her nerves. Still, this was the most she could bring herself to tell Lori and it still wasn’t even half of the truth, simply a small piece of it.

“So, I have another Mama?” Lori asked. Her voice was muffled against the curve of Lena’s neck, but it was still soft and calming. The older Luthor’s fingers gently combed through the younger’s hair and gradually she relaxed enough to nod. “Can I meet my other Mama?”

Lena’s heart ached as she formed a decision in her mind. “No, baby,” she murmured softly. Brown curls slowly fell from her fingers as she loosened her hold so that Lori could look at her. Despite the answer she gave, little fingers wiped any remaining tears away and a smile formed on Lori’s lips. “I’m sorry.”

Lori wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck and Lena wrapped her own around her daughter’s body. “I don’t mind, Mama. You are all I need.” Those words simultaneously broke and mended Lena’s heart. She was all her child needed. She was enough for her daughter and that meant more to her than anything. After years of feeling like she wasn’t enough, she finally was and she was enough for the most important person in her life. “I love you no matter what. To the moon and back.”

“I love you to the stars and back,” Lena replied as she peppered Lori’s face with kisses, causing squeals and laughter to fill the office. “I’ll tell you more when your older, but you don’t have a father, monkey. You have a mother who is the most amazing person in the universe. She’s who you get your strength and fast healing from. I’m sorry you won’t know who she is until you’re older, but know she is a good person and I know if she got to know you she would love you very much just as I do.” She held Lori close, thankful her daughter loved physical contact just like Kara, and breathed in all her child was. Lori was safe, Lori wasn’t upset, Lori was hers. Everything was okay.

“Mama, can we wear star dresses for our photo shoot?”

Lena completely forgot about the magazine article after talking about Lori’s parentage. An idea formed in her head as she nodded against her daughter’s head and smiled. “I have the perfect idea for what we could wear,” she told her as she pulled out the bag of cookies. “I have to work now, so here is the tablet for _Star Wars_ , and only _Star Wars_. I need to go get some stuff and Ms. Jess is right outside the door.” Lifting her daughter off her lap, she paused to watch the girl take off her backpack to get out her monkey and then dig through the purse beside her for the tablet. The door opened before she even moved and she looked up to see one of her top security members holding a package. “Yes?”  
The woman looked at Lori before turning her attention to her boss. “We checked this thoroughly and there isn’t even a nanobot or chemical compound on it. It’s perfectly harmless despite the weird note and having nothing but your name on it.” She held out a black box for Lena to take and the CEO glanced at her daughter who was enraptured by her movie before taking the opened package. “Have a good day, Ms. Luthor.”

Lena smiled and nodded before heading over to her desk to look at the package along with the other messages from the press. The box wasn’t small and weighed basically nothing. She glanced at Lori before slowly opening the flaps to see what was inside. Her hand flew to her mouth to contain the surprised sound that almost left her lips as she staggered back. Lori had headphones on, blissfully unaware of the ragged breathing that her mother’s lungs put out, and Lena flickered her wide, green eyes to her child. Inside of the box was the teddy bear she had with her the day she arrived at the Luthor mansion. It was from Lex. He knew. She didn’t even have to look at the note written in Kryptonese to figure that out. He knew about Lori and now neither of them were safe.

Without thinking, Lena fished her phone from her pocket with shaking hands and pulled up her contact list. She tapped the name _Sun Puppy_ and lifted the device to her ear as she struggled to calm down. It was the worst outcome she could have imagined. Even before Lena officially revealed Lori he found out. The phone only rang twice before Kara picked up on her end and Lena let the silence linger for a moment as she struggled to control her breathing. She turned to look out the window, arm wrapped around herself as she looked at Lori’s reflection in the glass. “Kara, I need you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments, feedback, and kudos they are my fuel. Check me out on twitter @witchofink and I hope you enjoyed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena realizes what her fear has done, Lori finds out, and Kara works out a deal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to inform you all this chapter is told mostly, if not entirely, from Kara's perspective so one scene with Lena might seem a bit rushed with a decision that's made but the reason why will come later when it's back in Lena's perspective. I'm not really sure about this chapter, I've been feeling a bit out of it cause of lack of sleep since I wake up before dawn for work, but I hope yall like it. Btw, all the comments about Lena acting like she has been and the angry reactions are exactly what I was going for so I'm glad that was the reaction I got. Please leave kudos, they motivate me a lot. Also, all the feedback too motivates me a lot.

_Kara, I need you._

As soon as she had heard those words a week ago she had hung up. Lena did not get to push her away only to beg for her back. She felt like maybe it was her own fault at first, the fact she had given up ever getting in touch with Lena again, but then she realized Lena was at fault for pushing and keeping her away. It didn’t matter if she had missed five years of Lori’s life, she was still her daughter too. Now, it wasn’t that Kara didn’t want to help, she just didn’t feel ready to let Lena back into her life. Lori she was more than ready to get to know, but Lena she needed time. And that amount of time was apparently a week.

“Are you sure you want to be here?” James asked her after he finished setting up his camera. “I mean, from what you told me I would want to stay as far away as I could.” Cat walked in and studied the two as Kara frowned heavily as she considered what James had said. “I have everything set up and Kara is here to shadow me as a junior reporter.”

“Hmm, good,” Cat hummed as she studied the studio setup. They were using one of the studios on a floor two down from their offices and there was already word that Lena and Lori were getting ready in a dressing room next door. Jack, who Lena decided to pass off as Lori’s father due to their relationship having been quite public, was still on his way. Giggling caused the three of them to look towards the entrance to find a little brunette skipping and spinning towards them. “You must be Lori,” Cat observed as she took on a sweeter disposition.

Lori frowned and pursed her lips, looking incredibly like Lena, and shook her head. “Ellie,” she corrected, “call me Ellie.” The little girl was dressed in a galaxy dress with dark blue tulle under the skirt and three-quarter sleeves. Sparkles formed patterns of stars on the purple, black, blue and pink fabric and she wore tights that were dark purple with flats that blended in. Her brown hair was french braided intricately to the side with small silver stars scattered throughout the braid. Cat raised her eyebrow at the correction and Lori mirrored her, doing the same. Kara wondered if she thought the fact the little girl didn’t like to be called by her own name was odd, Cat being a mother herself more qualified to say it was odd or not. Kara, herself, thought it was odd but according to Lena she had no say.

“I thought I said no running off,” Lena sighed as she looked at her daughter in a stare down with Cat Grant. “Um, Jack should be here in ten minutes.” Kara couldn’t help but stare at the woman, unable to think anything but how beautiful she looked in her dress. It was the same as Lori’s only without the tulle and sheer sleeves with intricate designs made with glitter that went down to her wrists. Her hair was braided back like Lori’s only without the stars. Instead, her stars were on the dark purple heels she wore, sparkles forming star patterns on the shoes. Her makeup completed the look, what stood out was her eyeshadow that followed the galaxy color scheme and a small amount of glitter on her face.

“Lena, I need to speak to you for a moment,” Cat said as she motioned for the young woman to follow her into a secluded area of the studio.

Lori watched her mother and Cat leave and looked back at the two adults left. “You came over to see Mama last week,” she pointed out as she patted at her dress skirt. “Are you going to take the pictures of us?”

Kara walked over to the little girl and knelt down in front of her, her heart pounding as she looked into her daughter’s eyes. She wanted to cry. She wanted to cry over the lost years, over the fact she didn’t try to keep in touch with Lena more than she did. She wanted to take the little girl into her arms and never let her go. Instead, she shook her head and smiled. “I’m here to observe. I am learning how to be a reporter from the best.” She pointed towards Cat, her smile faltering at the way Lena seemed to be shrinking away from the older blonde who seemed to be speaking angrily. Kara resisted the urge to listen in, certain that whatever they were talking about was private. Lena and Cat had been acquainted for a while, the blonde being one of the reporters at the _Daily Planet_ to interview Lex quite a few times, and so she knew that woman was one of the few who could get through Lena’s facade. “Are you excited for the photoshoot?”

Lori nodded but frowned as she shifted her weight to one foot. “I am, but I wish I was taking the picture with my actual parents,” she mumbled. “Uncle Jack isn’t my daddy so it feels like lying. Mama always said it’s bad to lie unless it’s about being a Luthor. Does this count as that kind of lying?”

Kara felt her chest tighten and she just stared at Lori for a moment. She seemed so confused and the blonde could understand why. Cat raised her voice slightly, her words still unclear, and Kara stood, taking Lori into her arms as she did. She caught Lena’s eyes as she held the little girl and looked away as she motioned with James to follow her into the green room. She didn’t want Lori to see Lena get what seemed to be scolded by Cat and she had no idea if the little girl had enhanced hearing so this seemed to be the best option.

“To answer your question, Lori,” Kara finally said. She paused for a moment as she sat down in a chair, expecting protest at the use of the child’s actual name, but none came. Pushing aside her surprise, she continued, “I think lying is only okay if it protects the ones you love. But, I don’t think lying about your family is okay. You shouldn’t lie about the people you love because it would be like saying they aren’t people you love.”

James looked at her in a way that confirmed what she felt. She was being a complete hypocrite. Despite barely knowing Lori, she was in love with the child. She wanted to be there for her from that point until the end of time. It seemed the feeling might have been mutual because Lori furrowed her brows in though before resting her head on Kara’s shoulder. It made her heart pound and she carefully tightened her arms around the child. “Kara,” James said in an almost scolding tone.

“I wish I could take the pictures with both my mommies.”

That was it. She stood, setting Lori on the chair she had just been sitting in, and stormed out of the room. Cat and Lena were still talking, arguing more like it now that Lori was around to see, and neither noticed Kara storm up to them. “I want to be in the pictures,” Kara announced. Both women looked at her at the same time, Cat mid-sentence, and Kara held her ground. “Lori just told me she feels like she’s lying by doing this and she wants to take the picture with both of her moms.” Lena’s expression turned to terror as she glanced at Cat who seemed entirely unfazed. Kara had suspected she hadn’t been fooled by what she and J’onn had pulled and it was hard not to see the fact Lori’s eyes were the same as Kara’s. “Cat knows me, Lena, has for over two years so she would have guessed Lori was my kid. Just do what’s right for Lori. Don’t do it for me, do it for her. We can come up with some lie to write just like you were going to do anyway.”

Lena clenched and unclenched her jaw and looked at the door Lori sat behind. “You don’t think I want to do that? I wish I could have the three of us in it and give Lori her actual family. But I can’t. I need the public approval Jack has and for the possibility that will stop any people from trying to hurt her. I’ve been lucky these past five years and I’ll do anything I can to keep her safe.” Kara didn’t think Lena could have said anything that would have infuriated her more. Obviously, Lena was a good mom, but was she really this manipulative? Using Jack just for the fact people like him. It wasn’t right.

“Lena Luthor, have you not been listening to a single fucking word I’ve said?” Cat snapped startling the younger blonde and making the brunette flinch. “You let your daughter run around being called at least three different names - and for the last time don’t deny it I interviewed her teachers and the last name Thorul is incredibly stupid, an idiot could piece it together - the first time she played at a park was last week, and you kept her a secret from her own parent for five years. Either you shape up or your daughter will suffer.” Lena looked like she had been slapped in the face but Cat didn’t stop there. “You’re hurting her life and it will scar her. Doesn’t matter if you don’t mean to do it or you do. Trust me, I did the same to my son without meaning to. Either she’ll think Kara wanted nothing to do with her or that you were so selfish you wanted to keep her from her other parent. I know you have your fears but fuck it. Fuck fear. No one will take Lori away unless you continue along this idiotic path you’re on. No one will kill your daughter because who would kill a child? She won’t hate you unless you continue to lie and hide things from her. All the fears you mentioned are mostly things you can control and can keep from happening as long as you don’t screw up. Just tell the child and do the right thing.”

“I’m trying, okay?” Lena snapped tearily. It was clear she was trying to hold back tears and how much this conversation was affecting her. “I have no clue what I’m doing and I never knew Kara even wanted anything to do with me. I should have said something, I know that. I should have told Kara she had a daughter. I should have told Lori who her other mother was. But I was scared and Clark told me to keep his help keeping Lori out of the papers I couldn’t tell Kara. He told me not to tell. There were already so many-” Lena’s voice cracked and trembled as tears rolled down her face and Cat gathered the woman into her arms. “I wanted to. I didn’t want to do it alone. I wanted Lori to know Kara was her mother, too. I did. I really did. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

“Mama?” All three women looked at the girl standing halfway to them from the door that James stood in. Kara’s heart froze and she could practically hear Lena’s shatter as her breath hitched in her throat. Blue eyes met blue and a series of emotions passed over Lori’s face as realization formed in her eyes followed closely by hurt. The door to the hall opened and small feet dashed out as Jack walked in.

A sob left Lena’s lips as Kara ran after the little girl, letting the sounds of Cat comforting Lena and of Jack asking what happened fall muffled on her ears as she focused on finding Lori. The child was fast, probably starting to develop powers if she was anything like Kal’s son Connor, and curses in both English and Kryptonese fell from her lips as she ran through the halls in search of the child. “Lori!” she called out as she paused at the door to the stairwell. She closed her eyes and listened, searching for Lori’s voice or anything. It was so loud, her pounding heart filling her own ears. She stepped into the stairwell and noticed a purple shoe discarded on the stairs leading up. Lowering her glasses, she looked up and scanned each floor for the girl. A sigh of relief passed her lips as she saw Lori in Lucy’s office.

Deciding to take her time climbing the stairs, Kara thought about the options she had for when she got to Lori. She could tell her the complete and utter truth, she could tell the half-truth, or she could idiotically deny it all. She wasn’t stupid, she could tell Lori had heard what Lena had said and probably even a bit or more of what Cat had said. She wouldn’t lie to her daughter either. So that left complete honesty. She would tell Lori as much as she could without Lena, like the fact she was Supergirl and that if she had special powers too that was why. She would leave out how Lex was the one to basically “create” her and how he wanted her to use against herself and Kal. She would tell her not to be upset at Lena and to understand her mother was just trying to do what was best for her. She would, however, later go to visit Clark and tell him what she thinks of his deal with Lena. Lucy she didn’t really blame, they always had a tense relationship and she couldn’t exactly picture the woman running to her to tell her she had a daughter. Lois, on the other hand, was a different story. She would have a less punchy conversation with her but still just as upset.

Lucy was speaking softly the Lori as the little girl sat in her lap, face buried in the crook of the woman’s neck. Green eyes looked up at the blonde entering the room and the hushed murmurs continued until the door was closed and Kara was sitting down in the chair next to them. “Where’s Lena?” Lucy asked softly as she ran her fingers through brown hair.

“With Cat,” Kara informed her as she held back the urge to take the girl from Lucy. She would be a better comfort since Lori had known the woman for longer. The most the blonde could do was talk to her when she was ready. “I didn’t wait to see how she was doing, though.” The glare was something she was used to but this time she returned it. Despite not being close, she was still upset the short woman kept Lori from her. She knew Lucy would always side with Lena but Lori was Kara’s child too.

Red-rimmed blue eyes peeked out from Lucy’s neck and studied the reporter. Kara tried to form a smile on her face but couldn’t, she couldn’t show her daughter a forced smile. Instead, she held out her arms, silently asking the child if she wanted to come over, and hesitantly Lori left Lucy’s lap to climb onto hers. Tears rolled down soft cheeks as the tiny brunette clung to Kara. Gone was the child wary of her that first night they met. Gone was anger towards Lena inside of Kara. All that was left was a girl who found her missing parent and a woman who felt nothing but love for her child. It was like the lost piece of a puzzle had finally been found. Tears filled Kara’s eyes as she tightened her arms around Lori and buried her face in brown hair. She smelled like honey and lavender. How could Lena keep the girl from her? How could she keep her daughter away? Just because she had given up contacting the Luthor didn’t mean Lena couldn’t have told her.

“You’re my Mommy?” Lori asked, sniffling as she buried her face into the crook of Kara’s neck. The blonde couldn’t get her voice to work so she simple nodded and pressed her lips hesitantly to the top of Lori’s head. She wasn’t sure of what to do, of what she could do, but she knew she wanted to learn. She wanted to make up those five years. “Why did Mama keep you a secret? She said you were the most amazing person in the universe, but she didn’t let me see you.”

“She thought it was the right thing,” Kara murmured softly. The door opened slightly and she glanced up to see Lena looking at them with wide eyes. “She wanted to keep you safe and that was what she thought it took. Your Mama was wrong but it doesn’t mean her intentions were. See, she loves you very much and sometimes when people love someone very much they get scared. She wanted to do what was best but it didn’t end up being what was best.” The blonde met green eyes and the small hands clutching her shirt tightened as Lori shifted closer. Here was this child who had probably felt something missing just the tiniest bit and now that she found it she realized how big that missing thing was.

“I wanna stay with you and know you,” Lori mumbled into her neck. Kara tensed at the words and she could tell Lena heard them. Now it was the older Luthor woman who dashed off and the blonde felt torn over whether to go after her or not. “Mommy?”

Kara’s heart sped up at the title and she pressed her lips to Lori’s forehead. “I have to go check on something, can you stay here with your Aunt Lucy?” The little girl nodded and Kara stood up, holding Lori close just a bit longer before setting her in the chair she just got out of. “I’ll be back,” she told the shorter woman.

“If you hurt her,” Lucy began to say.

“Like I could do anything worse than what she did,” Kara said as she glanced at Lori who was watching her searchingly. Part of her was afraid is she left she would lose the little girl. Before she had no idea she even existed and now that she did even that knowledge she didn’t know felt unbearable. “I’ll be back, Lori.” Getting out of the room was the hardest thing Kara had ever done, and she had lifted a space prison. Tracking down Lena wasn’t hard, she knew the woman would avoid placed there would be people since she would not want her breakdown to get out and this was a media headquarters. So, when the sound of a familiar heart and crying led Kara to the roof, she wasn’t surprised. “Lena.”

Lena looked at the blonde from where she stood leaned up against the wall next to the door to the roof and wiped at her eyes. Her makeup was still intact and Kara felt silly at finding that shocking since she doubted Lena ever wore anything that wouldn’t survive any situation. She was always prepared like that. Makeup was a source of comfort for the Luthor and acted like an armor of sorts. “You’re going to take her from me, aren’t you?” The defeat and despair was so very present in Lena’s broken murmur as she looked out at the sky. “I’ve always felt like one day someone would take her. That all I was doing was raising her until someone else came to use her. It’s why I never told Clark she had powers, I could tell after a few years there was something behind him helping me. And Lex, well he did this to have her himself. And now there’s you. I knew you do anything for family and I should have told you. I was, honestly, but I made the deal with Clark.”

“What deal, Lena?” Kara asked as she closed the door and stood next to Lena. The Luthor shifted closer and placed her head on the blonde’s shoulders. “No,” she snapped as she moved away from the younger woman. “No, you don’t get to do that. You don’t get to slide right back into how things were back in college. You kept my own daughter from me for five years, Lena. I can’t just forget that. I’m here for Lori because, despite the fact you lied and kept me a secret even though I would do nothing but love her, I know she loves you. I don’t want to take her from you, but I don’t know if you are the best person for her to be with right now.”

“Don’t you dare, Kara Danvers!” Lena spat as she moved away from the wall to look the blonde in the eyes. “Don’t you dare take my child away from me without knowing the first thing about her. She’s still human, she has allergies just like any other child. She’s picky, will only go to sleep if her pillows are arranged in a certain way or if you hold her a certain way. You don’t know her and you think you can just take her?”

“I don’t know what else to do, Lena!” Kara moved away from the wall and stepped towards the brunette. Her head was a storm and at its center was Lena and Lori. She had only been a parent for a week but she was going to be a damn good one even if it killed her. “You confuse her and you drag her along in whatever escape you formulate from some irrational fear you have. You kept her from having a normal childhood! I know that may not be something you know is like, but did you really think it was okay to keep our daughter from having the experience you didn’t? Dammit, Lena, I know you are a good mom so show it! We talked for hours about what having a family would be like. I know you are better than this. She shouldn’t lie about who she is, she shouldn’t have to lie about you.”

“My fear isn’t irrational!” The tears were back and Kara felt wetness on her own cheeks. “You want to know what the deal your cousin gave me was? I’ll tell you. He showed me pictures of me pregnant out getting vitamins and going to my appointments. Pictures I didn’t realize until later that he couldn’t have gotten because I was hardly recognizable. He had more of me with Lori at the hospital that the staff supposedly took. He blackmailed me, Kara. I didn’t know if he still has those pictures or not and I didn’t want to find out. I moved here to get a fresh start, and originally that meant telling you about Lori, but Clark messaged me asking if our deal was still in place and I choked. I choked and I regret it so much. I should have told you when you came soaking wet into my office. I fucked up not telling you and I know that. But I was scared and didn’t want to lose her. She’s all I have, Kara. Without her I have nothing.”

Rage filled Kara’s system and Lena’s eyes widened as blue eyes glowed red. “He did that to you?” she asked through gritted teeth. How dare Kal do that to the mother of her child? The Luthor nodded and the blonde closed her eyes to calm herself down. She was going to kill her cousin. “It doesn’t change the fact you kept this from me, Lena. I would have protected you, both of you, and you know that. I wouldn’t let anything happen to either of you.” She opened her eyes to the sound of Lena sobbing and Kara knew the woman was realizing the severity of what she has unintentionally done. “I would have gotten to be there for you and Lori if you had just told me from the start, before Clark made that deal with you. Now, Lori and I have miss five years and Clark has something he can hold over you. He doesn’t trust your family so I don’t know why I’m so surprised he did this.” She paused to look at Lena and her heart couldn’t take the sobbing anymore. “Come here,” she murmured with open arms and held the crying woman close when Lena came over. “I’m still upset and angry, but you know how much I hate to see you cry.”

The reporter backed them slowly over to the wall and slid down it, Lena straddling her lap as she clung to the Kryptonian. There were probably a thousand thoughts running around in Lena’s head but Kara couldn’t figure out what a single one was. It was a given some of it would be about Lori but she wasn’t counting that. Part of her wondered if Lena still cared about her. For her, she could remember everything. She remembered how they stayed up for hours on the roof of their dorm watching the stars sitting just like this. Lena would always fall asleep first and Kara would just keep her warm as she held her close. Rao, she had always hated having to let Lena go. Lena sniffled and hiccupped, her sobs dying down, and shifted closer to Kara in a way that made the blonde’s heart race.

“He knows,” Lena murmured softly against the heroine’s neck. Kara turned her head and her breath caught in her throat as she found her face an inch from the brunette’s. Green eyes flickered down to her lips before pulling back slightly to widen the gap. “Lex. He knows. He sent me the teddy bear I had with me when I first got to the Luthors. He’s going to come for her soon.”

Kara took in a sharp breath and pulled Lena back into her hold. It wasn’t surprising that there were no more tears from the younger woman as they sat on the roof of CatCo. What did surprise her was the fact no one had come looking or called either of them. Perhaps it was for the best considering Kara was going to suggest she have Lori stay with her for a while. Just a short time to make up for the past five years. She was hesitant to let Lena back in to her life after she kept Lori from her, but she knew she couldn’t take Lori away from Lena, didn’t have the heart. “Lena, don’t freak out, but I want Lori to stay with me for a week or so.” The woman in her arms stiffened but remained silent. Progress. “I’m not going to take her from you, I just want to get to know her. Give me a list of everything she needs, her schedule, her dietary needs and I’ll adhere to all of it. I’ll keep her safe, too. Who better to protect her than Supergirl? Please, Lena, let me do this. If I was going to take her from you I wouldn’t ask if I could watch her.” She paused as she considered her next offer. The smell of Lena’s perfume filled her nose and countless memories filled her mind. She shouldn’t, it could open the door to something she’s not ready to open. “If, um, if you want, you can stay too. You don’t have to but you might have an easier time letting her stay with me if you were there too.”

Lena kept her face buried in the alien’s shoulder as she remained silent and Kara gave her the time to think. “Okay,” she murmured into the blonde’s neck. “You can watch her for a week. Maybe longer depending how it goes. But I get a call in the morning when she wakes up and text updates. I also get to come over for dinner and bedtime. And you follow the instructions I leave you exactly.” She pulled back and Kara couldn’t help but put a hand to her cheek and swipe her thumb across the soft skin. “Kara,” Lena murmured warningly. She didn’t want to open that door either. Didn’t want to fully let her back in. She knew she had been pushing her away, it was her defense mechanism. This was for Lori.

Kara let her hand fall and put both hands on Lena’s waist to lift her as she stood. When the younger woman had both feet on the ground, she let her hands drop to the side and looked out at the city. “I guess those pictures aren’t going to happen,” she commented as she tilted her head towards the door. “But, we should go inside anyway. At least get an interview done and maybe you can use a picture you already have for the article.” She opened the door for Lena and they descended the steps together. It felt odd being around Lena feeling like there was this giant gap between them. She was so used to feeling like they were inseparable, but now they were anything but.

When they got back to the studio where Jack, James, and Cat had remained, Lucy and Lori joining them at some point the two were on the roof, Lori ran over to the mother who had raised her and Lena lifted her up to hold tightly in her arms. “I’m so sorry, baby,” Kara heard her murmur softly to their child as she headed over to James. “I’m so sorry. I promise I’ll tell you everything and if you want to you can spend a week with your Mommy at her place.”

“Everything okay?” Blue eyes tore themselves from the mother daughter pair and looked at James as he came up beside her. “You were gone a while. I got to talk to Jack about Lena which was good for the article, but I did learn some interesting things about your ex.”

“You say ex as if you don’t belong in that category, James,” Kara jested as she glanced at Jack who was talking to the two Luthor girls. “What did you find out?”

“That Lena is a wonderful mom,” James told her. “And that despite the fact she was alone Lena always put Lori first. According to Jack, Lena never meant for him to meet Lori. He had called one night to cancel plans and heard her over the phone. She wouldn’t take Lori out other than or school or the doctor, too.”

The judgement in his voice annoyed the blonde and she pursed her lips as she shifted her gaze to Lori and Lena. “Lena just did what she thought was right,” she defended as she saw Lori wave goodbye to Jack and Cat, the older blonde talking to Lena as the woman set down the little girl so she could go with Lucy to change clothes. “She’s human, she’ll make mistakes. I’m going to go. I’m arranging some time with Lori so I need to talk to Lena.”

“You should just take her.” The words caused Kara to freeze and tense. What person could even think taking someone’s child away from them was okay? Someone who had nothing but that child. Yes, Lena messed up and the fact she kept Lori from Kara was awful, but Kara couldn’t even dream of just taking Lori from Lena. On Krypton, when a couple separated, as rare as it was, they would often stay in the same compound in order for the child to keep both parents in their life. The idea of denying one parent from seeing their child and of denying the child from a parent was inconceivable. It made what Lena did hurt even worse. But after hearing what Kal did, Kara could understand it a little. She could see where Lena was coming from but it still didn’t make it okay. Didn’t make her want to let Lena back into her life again like she had originally wanted when she heard she was in town. “If I was in your position, I wouldn’t let my kid get raised by a Luthor a second longer.”

Kara whipped around and the floor cracked beneath her foot as she glared at James. Lena was nothing like her family, _nothing_. “Don’t you ever say anything negative about Lena again,” she snapped. The man took a step back and blue eyes turned cold as ice as she looked at him. “ _Ever_. She’s the mother of my child and the best person I know. She’s good and kind and selfless.” With that, she turned and faltered seeing every pair of eyes on her. Recovering, she went over to Lena and grabbed her arm, giving Cat an apologetic look before dragging the CEO away to where Lori was. “Let’s have lunch at my place,” she murmured as she paused outside of the door to the dressing room. “You can put together that list to send to me and I can get to know Lori while you are there as a buffer of sorts.”

Lena was staring at Kara with shocked eyes and it was clear she was still rattled over how Kara had defended her even after all she had done. “Uh, sure,” she mumbled as she glanced down at where Kara still held her wrist. “You stood up for me. Even after I kept Lori from you. Even after pushing you away.”

Kara dropped Lena’s arm and looked at the door. “I know you, Lena,” she replied. “I know you are a good person. Plus, if I want to be in Lori’s life I know you come with her so I can’t just be angry with you all the time even if I want to.” She looked at Lena and felt guilt fill her chest at the hurt look in those green eyes. But she couldn’t let what Lena did go. No matter what they used to be or what Kara wished they still were. She couldn’t wish for it back anyway, had no right after the several flings she had trying to get over the raven haired woman. It was something she expected from Lena, dating and sleeping with people to try to push someone from her mind, but it seemed their responses to the break up were switched. Though, Lena did have a daughter to worry about that kind of interfered with dating.

“I have a list on my phone for the babysitters,” Lena told her as the blonde opened the door to the dressing room. Lucy looked at them as she worked on the buttons of Lori’s shirt and the young CEO grabbed a duffel bag on the counter along a wall of mirrors as she made her way to a stall, placing a kiss on their daughter’s head. “Lucy, have you said hi to Jack yet?” Lena asked her best friend.

“We talked a bit while Cat talked to Lori. He seems to be making it big in Metropolis with your immediate attention here in National City. I think the break up was the best thing to happen to his company.” The younger Lane sister chuckled at her joke and twisted Lori’s skirt around on her body. It seemed like the little girl’s fashion was a mini version of Lena’s, only more suited for the little girl’s age. The black skirt she wore was a cat’s face, little ears poking up from the top of the skirt while the design of the face rested on the front. The shirt Lori wore had a rounded collar with little cats on the rounded tips and the sleeves were short. It was like looking at a mini-Lena. Said mini-Lena stared at her while Lucy buckled up her Black Mary Janes and, when she was all dressed and unstarred, she went over to Kara and lifted up her arms wordlessly.

The hesitation she felt over lifting her own child must have been clear on her fact because Lucy rolled her eyes and shook her head. “She wants you to pick her up, puppy girl,” Lucy muttered as she stood up from where she had been kneeling. Kara scowled at the old nickname, something she hadn’t heard since Lucy started working at CatCo. It had taken a while but they had gotten to be on better terms with each other. Now they were back to square one. Kara blamed Lucy’s jealousy, quite sure the woman still had feelings for Lena, and she honestly didn’t want to be friends with her after everything with Lori. Yes, Lucy would forever side with Lena, but this was beyond jealousy and dislike.

“Don’t call her ‘puppy girl’, Lu,” Lena scolded with a smirk as she emerged from the stall and green eyes watched the blonde lift Lori. “Now, Lori, are you sure you are okay with this? A whole week with your long-lost mommy?” Lori nodded as she wrapped her arms around Kara’s neck. A sigh fell from wine colored lips as she smiled faintly and pulled out her phone. “We need to go home and pack your things, then. Think of whatever you want to take with you and what you want for lunch.” She pushed the straps of her bag up onto her shoulder and hugged Lucy before heading to the door. “Your Mommy is paying.”

Kara frowned as she followed, but didn’t protest. She wanted to buy Lori lunch, it was something she missed out on doing for five years. A small head rested on her shoulder and she smiled as she pressed her lips to Lori’s head. It felt so natural just the simple action. Her eyes flickered to Lena as she pulled back and could have sworn she saw a smile on the woman’s lips. But there was just a neutral expression as green eyes darted away to look at the phone in her hands. “Do you like burgers, Lori?” Kara asked as she followed Lena into the elevator.

Lori nodded and leaned back as she unwrapped her arms from around Kara. “I like the ones from the place in Metropolis near our old home. They were this big and Mama had to cut it in pieces for me.” Lori gestured widely to give Kara an idea of how big the burgers were and the blonde smiled brightly as she listened to Lori ramble on about her favorite foods. Apparently, she was allergic to olives, avocados, and bananas. At least, those were the ones she included in her ramblings. The list of her allergies, as Kara would soon get from Lena during the car ride to her and Lori’s apartment, was unsettlingly longer. Lena texted along with it that she suspected Lex added genetics or messed with the DNA which ended up having negative effects to Lori’s health. Kara wondered if Lori would be stronger and more powerful when her powers came if Lena was right.

With all the thoughts in her head and lists she had read, Kara found the trip to the Luthor apartment fairly quick and she found herself sitting on the same couch she had sat on a week ago as Lori and Lena packed the little girl’s things. The document Lena had sent her was incredibly long and none of it looked like extra stuff. None of the items weren’t related to Lori’s health or anything a five year old should experience. Nothing was extra, which was surprising considering Lena could be very, well, extra, and most of it was medication or educational based. Lori played chess for an hour, did at least two sudoku puzzles, had medication to take every two hours, and it was apparently important she watched _Paw Patrol_ because it was bolded, underlined, and typed in red.

“It’s a long list, I know,” Lena said as she leaned over the back of the couch to glance at the document she probably knew by heart. “She doesn’t seem like it, but she doesn’t have the best of health. I’m hoping that when her powers start to come in beyond fast healing and some strength that it will go away. You can see why I am so worried about her.”

“It doesn’t excuse the fact you kept her from me, Lena,” Kara murmured as she turned to look at the younger woman. “I’ll take care of her, though, I promise. And I’ll bring her back to you in one piece. Maybe, if this goes well, she can spend a week or so with me each month. We can work it out like we are a pair of divorcees.” She laughed at her own joke and Lena joined in reminding the blonde of old times. “We are kind of like that, though. I guess it gives us something to base the situation on.”

Lena bit her lip and closed her eyes as the amusement in her eyes faded away. “I hope this is what’s best. She seems excited to get to know you, she’s gotten over the shock already which I hope is a good thing. She had been asking about her other parent for a while so I think she’s happy to finally have an answer.” She paused as she opened her eyes and a shaky breath left the brunette’s lips. It must be hard for her, letting her child be apart from her for a week for the first time. “Uh, she watches _Paw Patrol_ religiously and she will comment on how there is only one girl dog. Random dance parties are expected and she loves Disney. Don’t miss giving her the medication that she gets every two hours between seven in the morning and seven at night, it’s for her heart. Don’t worry about giving her anything while at school, they take care of it. And while you have her why don’t we take her to the DEO? We can introduce her to Alex.” A tear ran down Lena’s cheek and it was more than obvious this was hard for her.

“Lena,” Kara murmured softly. “Thank you for letting me watch her.” The softness of her voice made the tension in Lena’s body slip away. “I’m upset and angry, that’s not going to go away so easily, but thank you for letting me be in her life. I mean, she’s my kid so I have a right to be in her life, but I know this must be hard so thank you for not making it too difficult.” The brunette moved around the couch to sit on the couch with the blonde, her back against the arm of the couch so she could face the other woman. She was surprised Lena wasn’t still trying to push her away. It had been all she had done up until now and Kara was shocked it was this easy to get to be in Lori’s life. What had Cat said to Lena? Whatever it was, it still stuck with the young mother because there was a small hint of shock still in those green eyes.

A duffel bag being put on her lap snapped her out of her thoughts and Kara found her daughter standing in front of her wearing a new outfit. Pastel pink overalls and a baby blue shirt with three quarter sleeves. It was adorable. “These are my stuffies,” Lori told her before dashing away to get her other things. Not long after she silently returned with a small bag but she was holding it carefully against herself. “Important stuff,” she said before going over to Lena at her mother’s beckon. After a long kiss to the top of her head, she returned down the hall to pack more.

“She thinks something’s wrong with her,” Lena told Kara softly after a few moments of silence. Lowering her glasses, Kara looked into the bag in front of her and saw it was filled with pill and vitamin bottles. “I hate Lex for attempting to play god with the DNA. Why couldn’t he have just let it be as it was? Conner was born just fine and healthy.” The brunette put her head in her hands and exhaled shakily. “Just, be careful with her. I’m going to be going back to CatCo after lunch and getting her settled in so I can do the interview.” A pause and green eyes looked into blue. “I’m going to say you are Lori’s mom. I’ll say we thought we would be together forever and wanted a child to start our family. It didn’t seem like it worked, that I wasn’t pregnant, and took that as a sign we wouldn’t work out since we were going to be attending different schools as well.”

Kara nodded. She couldn’t find the words to reply and she didn’t really feel like doing so. They sat in silence, her mind processing it all while Lena held her head in her hands. The younger woman was taking this hard but it seemed like she knew it was necessary. Lena must have finally realized it was time to stop pushing. Little feet padded back to them and Lori emerged with a backpack on and two bags in her hands. “Ready, Mama,” she told Lena as she held up her bags. The raven haired woman took the two bags from the five year old and motioned for Kara to get up. “Can we have chicken?”

Lena smiled and nodded, fully aware Kara would agree. “Yes, baby, we can. Go get your water bottle and wait by the door, okay?” She watched as Lori walked away and she stood to look at Kara who was gathering the bags that had been given to her. “I’m freaking out right now, but Lori knows and I won’t upset her by keeping her from you. I know I’ve been pushing you away and being a bit of a bitch, and I’m sorry. I messed up and I’m realizing it in a harsh way all at once. I know that apologizing isn’t enough, but I hope it leads to forgiveness later on.”

Kara nodded at the apology but she said nothing. If she replied, she would accept the words and give the woman the forgiveness she hadn’t fully earned. Letting her into her child’s life was a good start but it didn’t make up for the past five years. If anything, it made Kara wonder if they could ever get back to being friends rather than parents with a canyon between them. She would let Lena back into her life for Lori just as Lena did for her, but beyond that she had no clue. She knew Alex would try to punch the Luthor when she found out. She’d have to call Alex later and see if she would come over the next day before Lena came over for the dinner and bedtime part of the deal. The trip to her place felt like more than a physical one, like some emotional mini-journey she was taking on the path of motherhood. She was going to have her child with her for a week which might lead to more stays. It was the start of something amazing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and follow me on twitter ( @witchofink ) for polls, fic updates, and more. I hope you enjoyed the update and stick around for more ^^


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, it's been forever. So, I wrote this in like two days and in those two days my head was basically mush so I'm sorry if it's not the best chapter. Things are going to get more interesting from here on out. I love every single kudo or comment that's left on this fic so thank you all for those. Hopefully it won't take so long for me to update again.

Unfortunately, the amazing didn’t come until later. Way, way later. As soon as the door to Kara’s apartment was unlocked, Supergirl was needed for a robbery. Thankfully, Lena wasn’t in a rush to leave so she stayed with Lori, making lunch with the frozen chicken Kara had in her freezer, and waited for Kara to get back. Despite trying as hard as she could to finish up with the six armed alien robbing the bank, it took her two hours to finally subdue him. Afterwards, Alex stopped her before she could take off towards her apartment, clearly having noticed the rushed behavior of her adoptive sister.

 

“Hey, where do you think you’re going?” Alex asked grabbing Kara by the wrist. “You know we need you for escorting the alien to the DEO. Is everything okay?”

 

Kara shifted from foot to foot, unsure if she should tell Alex now or wait until she’s talked more with Lena, and chewed at her bottom lip. “Uh, do you think you could handle that? Lena is in town, as you know, and she’s waiting for me at my apartment.” Apparently, this was not the correct thing to say to get Alex to let her go. Not at all. An angry look formed on Alex’s face and Kara remembered how much her sister had hated Lena when she didn’t return her calls. Alex said nothing, but she still didn’t let go of Kara or let her out of her sight. It took another hour for everything to be finalized and for her to change into civilian clothing, Alex keeping her silent, anger filled watch over her still.

 

“Alex, you don’t need to come over,” Kara protested as they walked to her apartment, working on a warning to text to Lena. It was still shaky ground with her with Lori staying with Kara and this would not help the already nervous wreck Lena was. The response to her warning was immediate, a simple “ _ ok _ ” which told Kara that it most certainly was not  _ ok _ considering Lena hated using abbreviations and the like. “Alex, I don’t think this is the best idea right now,” Kara tried as they got to her building.

 

“No, I need to give that woman a piece of my mind for ghosting you,” Alex growled as she stormed into the building. Kara nervously chased after her and prayed to Rao that Lena would have had enough time to mentally prepare. When Alex opened the door, Kara thought if she could Alex would have steam coming from her ears and she could feel the rage rolling off her in waves. “Lena Luthor, you fuc-”

 

Alex froze just inside the apartment and Kara squeezed past her sister to find Lena standing between Alex and Lori, who was sitting on the couch, looking at Alex with terror and fear in her eyes. Lori was staring at them with those eyes that were just like Kara’s full of confusion. “Alex,” Kara started as she moved to stand in between them. “Alex, I can explain.”

 

The shock that had been on Alex’s face shifted back to rage and, before Kara even registered what was about to happen, she had crossed the room to slap Lena. The sound seemed to echo through the apartment and Kara had no clue what to do as Lena stared wide eyed at the still fuming Alex. By the time Kara could move to pull Alex away, she had slapped Lena again causing Lori to let out a startled sound that turned into crying and Lena was clearly holding back her own tears as she lifted her hand to her cheek.

 

“How dare you!” Alex spat as Kara held her back. She struggled against her hold and Kara wished she could join Lena who was going to Lori’s side. “You leave Kara in the dark for five years! You don’t talk to her for five years and you come back into her life with a child! A child I’m pretty sure is hers. What did you do? Work with your brother to create some sick test tube baby?”

 

“Shut up!” Lena screamed, tears streaming down her face. Lori had her face buried in Lena’s chest and the sounds of her muffled sobs hurt Kara’s heart. How could Alex assume that Lena would have any part in what Lex did? “Shut up. Just shut up,” Lena sobbed as she clutched Lori to her.

 

Before anything else could be said, Kara practically carried Alex outside of the apartment and shut the door behind her, standing between it and her sister. “Alex, you can’t come here and slap Lena in front of a child. And you can’t accuse her of doing something like  _ that _ . It’s Clark’s fault she didn’t contact me and she would never do something like use our DNA to make a child without my consent.”

 

“She’s a Luthor,” Alex countered. “I bet she just told you that Clark kept her from reaching out just to get you to trust her.”

 

“Alex, she was basically raped and impregnated against her will by her brother using my DNA to make his own Super,” Kara whispered harshly, not sure if Lori had started developing super hearing yet. “You don’t act like that in front of a child, Alex. And you especially don’t accuse that child’s mother of such horrible things in front of them.”   
  


Realization sunk in and Alex’s anger shifted to horror. “Oh God, I fucked up. I was just so angry at her and then I saw that little girl who looked so much like you. I can’t believe I slapped Lena in front of your kid. I can’t believe I did that. Kara, why didn’t you stop me?” Alex started to pace as she spoke, stopping after a while to slide down the wall and clutch her head between her knees.

 

“I may have super speed but sometimes my brain doesn’t,” Kara said as she leaned against the wall next to her door. “I didn’t realize what you were going to do until after you had already slapped her. Then I was too shocked to move and you slapped her again. I finally snapped out of it when Lori started crying and Lena started yelling.” She watched as guilt overcame Alex and she used her hearing to listen in on Lena comforting their daughter. “You need to apologize, Alex. I want you to be in Lori’s life. I want her to be family. Lena I’m angry with, too, but she’s Lori’s mom and the one who raised her. I don’t think Lena can ever be family, but I am willing to be friends or attempt to be. I’m going to treat this like we are divorced since we basically are. I have, or well I was going to have, Lori this week. I don’t know anymore. I might have Lena stay here.”

 

“God, what was I thinking?” Alex murmured as she hit her head against her knees. “I need to apologize. Is it okay to go back in?”

 

Kara turned to look into her apartment using her X-ray vision and used her super hearing to listen in. Lena was comforting their daughter, no longer crying, and reassuring Lori that nothing was wrong with her, that she was wanted and loved. Lori was still crying which turned her words into gibberish Kara couldn’t decipher. It made her both angry at Alex and heartbroken for the pair of Luthors inside her apartment. It was probably the first time anyone accused Lena in having a hand in what Lex did and it was clearly a really painful topic for her.

 

“I don’t think so,” Kara told Alex. “Stay here, try to figure out how to hold in your anger.” She watched her sister nod, completely drowning in guilt, and Kara felt some of her anger fade. “Alex, it’s been five years, that’s a lot of time to hold in your anger. Adding on the fact you had a secret niece for that amount of time too, I don’t blame you for acting like that. But I am angry you did it in front of my daughter. This can be mended, unlike my feelings toward Lena and how she hid Lori from me.”

 

“Lori is such a beautiful name,” Alex whispered as she leaned back against the wall to look at Kara. “God, I screwed up, please just let me know when I can go in and fix it.”

 

Kara studied Alex for a moment, torn between saying something that could make the guilt her sister was feeling worse or just going in to check on the two in her apartment. The decision came on impulse and she opened the door as she looked at her sister. “I’ll do what I can,” she said, Alex staring at her with wide, thankful eyes. She smiled and went into her apartment, leaving Alex alone, to find Lena wiping away tears on both her own face and Lori’s. “Lena,” Kara murmured.

 

Lena silenced her with a look, red rimmed eyes piercing her chest, and she pressed a soft kiss to Lori’s face. “I thought we were going to tell Alex together without Lori present?” she asked with a hint of venom in her voice. “Why, Kara? If Lori wasn’t so adamant about staying still, I would take her and let her stay some other week.”

 

“N-No, Mam-Mama, I w-wanna stay w-with Mommy now,” Lori cried, hiccuping into Lena’s chest.

 

Kara walked over to sit on the couch with them and ran her fingers through brown locks. “I’m sorry, Lori, I didn’t want this to be how this all started. I wanted to watch Disney movies and make a pillow fort and go out for ice cream.” Ice cream that Lori can eat without an allergic reaction that is. “It’s just that me and Mama have a complicated history.”

 

Lori peeked out from Lena’s chest and looked at her. “Ice cream and Disney?” Lori asked with a hiccup. Kara nodded and it seemed to cheer Lori up a little. Kara wiped away a stray tear as Lena ran her fingers through their daughter’s hair and Kara watched as Lori calmed down. “Who was the mean lady who hit Mama?”

 

Kara paled and looked to Lena who gave her a look that said  _ I’m not handling this, your sister your mess _ . Fiddling with her glasses, she tried to figure out how to word things that might help Alex’s case with Lori. “Like I said, Lori, your mama and I have a bit of a complicated history. We were really close when we were younger and then we just stopped talking to each other. We each thought it was the other’s fault and that’s why that woman acted like that. That’s my sister, your Aunt Alex. She was angry with your mama because of the past your mama and I share. Do you understand Lori?”

 

Lori bit her bottom lip in such a Lena way and leaned against her. She looked at Kara and then at the door as if trying to figure out what she was going to say before just saying it. “Is Aunt Alex waiting out there? Will she hurt Mama again?”

 

Kara shook her head and took Lori’s small hand in her own. “No, sweetie, no. She feels bad about what she did. She had all this anger from before you were born that had been growing all this time and when she saw Mama it just all came out. She’s not going to hurt your mama again, I promise.”

 

Lena put a hand to her reddened cheek and glanced at the door. Green eyes darted over to Kara when Lori stood on the couch to whisper into Lena’s ear and she gave a small nod at what their daughter was saying. Kara half wished she had listened but it wouldn’t have been right to do that when it seemed like Lori wanted to keep it between her and Lena. Their relationship was so close, so precious, and it made Kara a bit jealous, even angry. Lena kept Lori from her for all this time and she missed the chance to be there for their daughter. The words that Lena had basically screamed at her echoed in her mind. She hadn’t been there for the first steps and the colds. Hadn’t been there for any of it. But she wish she had been. She wished she had been there for both Lena and Lori.

 

“Kara, why don’t you bring in Alex?” Lena asked as she let Lori jump off the couch to go to Kara. “Lori wants to give her a second chance.”

 

Kara lifted Lori onto the couch and handed Lena the remote to the TV, wordlessly telling her to put it on Netflix. With a quick ruffle to Lori’s hair, Kara stood and went to fetch Alex. Poking her head out, she found her sister just as she had left her and Alex stared at her questioningly before getting to her feet when Kara motioned her to go inside. “Lori wants to give you a second chance,” Kara whispered as she let Alex inside.

 

“Huh, I wonder if she’s got your good heart or if Lena taught her that,” Alex thought out loud as she moved to stand nervously inside the apartment. Lena fixed a warning gaze that was shadowed by the glare fixed on Alex from Lori. It was the perfect mix of Kara and Lena’s glares and even Kara was startled by the sight of her daughter glaring in such a way at her aunt as she sat almost protectively on Lena’s lap. “Hi?”

“Lori, this is your Aunt Alex,” Kara introduced cautiously. “She’s very sorry for what she did and said, right?”

 

Alex nodded though Kara knew that Alex was still angry at Lena. “I’m so sorry, Lori, I shouldn’t have hit your mother or said such mean things.”

 

Lori’s glare intensified and it was a bit scary to see such an expression on a five year old. “Say sorry to Mama,” Lori said. At her words, Lena looked at the little girl with a mix of awe and love. Lori was clearly one of the few people fully on Lena’s side.

 

Alex glanced at Lena and pursed her lips. It was clear she wasn’t sorry for the slaps and words, rather she felt guilty she did and said those things in front of Lori. “I’m sorry, Lena.”

 

Lori’s glare faded and she hopped off Lena’s lap to pad over to Alex. “You can call me Ellie,” Lori told her with a rather grumpy and wary, yet more welcoming look. “Ice cream,” she demanded pointing to the refrigerator.

 

Kara smiled as she went to open the freezer. “You heard her, Alex,” Kara teased as she got an ice pack out for Lena. Her sister smiled at her with narrowed eyes but went to get Lori ice cream. “Oh, Alex, nothing that includes ingredients from this list.” She tosses her sister her phone and watched as a solemn expression passed over her face.

 

“Lori is the forgiving type,” Lena told her as she sat down. Lena took the ice pack and pressed it gingerly to her cheek. “I wonder who she gets that from. And why did your sister have to put so much force behind both slaps? And on the same side.” She let out a soft, unconvincing chuckle and closed her eyes. “I never thought this would be how I would reunite with your sister.”

 

“No?” Kara asked with a teasing tone to her voice. She glanced at Alex as her sister lifted Lori onto the counter and pulled out the vanilla ice cream. It must be the only thing she had Lori could eat. “Did you think you would do some science together again and settle everything with an epic robot fight?”

 

“God, no,” Lena laughed. “I expected her to literally kick me out and more yelling and violence. I wasn’t expecting a slap, she was always a kicker when I knew her. And I didn’t expect Lori around at first.”

 

“Oh Rao, you thought Alex was going to legit kick your ass? That’s hilarious.” Kara took the remote from Lena as Lori skipped over with Alex trailing behind. It seemed like Lena was right when she said Lori was the forgiving type because instead of glaring there was just this distrusting, wary look. Progress.

 

“I wanna watch Stitch,” Lori announced as she settled next to Alex and Kara. It felt like she was trying to get used to them, trying to understand what was this tension between her mothers that she didn’t know the history off. “Stitch attacks people to protect Lilo. Is that what you were doing, Aunt Alex?”

 

Kara looked to Lena with wide eyes, searching for the answer to her question if all five year old can make this parallel or just theirs. Lena gave a small, sad smile and Kara knew it wasn’t just their combined intellects that let Lori understand this. Lex had tried to make Lori smarter than she already would be with two genius parents. It was fantastic she was smart, amazing she had a grasp on understanding the emotions of others, but the reason why angered Kara. Lori would never be a normal child. Lori would be smarter, stronger, and faster than other children her age. Her health may or may not improve, but either way her body would heal any damage before it got lethal which was a good thing at least.

 

Alex looked at Lena and Kara before nodding. “Yeah, kind of like that. I thought your mom would hurt my sister, your other mom. I am like your mom’s protector and she’s mine so we always have each other’s back. Your mom who raised you hurt my sister before you were born and I was worried she would again.”

 

Lori thought for a moment, slowly getting the melting ice cream from her spoon. These words seemed to have shifted her entire view on Alex because she hopped to her feet and bounced around in front of her aunt. “You’re a knight! A knight! A knight! A knight! Mommy is your sister in arms just like in the fairy tales.”

 

Alex seemed at a loss on what to do but Kara and Lena burst into laughter. The atmosphere in the room changed drastically from extreme tension to relaxed and at ease. Kara put on  _ Lilo and Stitch _ for Lori while Lena took care of the bowl and spoon Lori had used. Alex seemed to have a way with Lori despite their first impressions of each other and Kara thought it would be okay to leave them for a moment to go see how Lena was.

 

“Sorry about the ice cream, I know how you are with dietary stuff like healthy food,” Kara said as Lena dried off her hands. “I promise dinner will be better and full of yucky greens.” Lena laughed which made Kara smile as she fiddled with her glasses, remembering how much she missed that smile. “Hey, have you eaten yet?”

 

“No, Lori has your appetite and I didn’t want to take too much from you,” she replied running her fingers through her hair. “Why? Were you thinking of getting some food?”

 

“Remember that ramen shop in Kyoto that’s open twenty-four hours?” Kara asked smirking. It had been years since they had flown to Japan for ramen instead of eating the same old ramen in a cup. The first time they went, Lena had been listing off all the places around the world she wanted to take Kara to eat at. It had been two weeks since Lena had moved out of their shared dorm and three weeks since the fall semester had started. Days before Lena had confronted Kara and had guessed she wasn’t human leading to their friendship oddly.

 

“No, Kara, we can’t leave,” Lena unconvincingly protested. “We can’t leave Alex alone with Lori. I mean, I have some yen at my apartment and I know for a fact that place is still open but we can’t, Kara.” They stared at each other for a moment until Lena went over to where Alex and Lori were talking on the couch. “Lori, baby, Mama and Mommy are going to get ourselves something to eat. Be good for Aunt Alex and we’ll be back.”

 

Lena stroller back to Kara, slipping the other woman’s phone into her pocket as she took her hand to head outside. “You know it’s like two in the morning there, right?” Lena asked as she let Kara pick her up to fly to her apartment. She was just as soft and easy to carry as Kara remembered. Like she was meant to be in her arms, safe and protected.

 

“The place is open twenty-four hours,” Kara pointed out. “And your family owns it.”

 

“The Japan branch of LuthorCorp does own the building it’s in, yes, but still,” Lena said. “You know that’s the only reason it’s open twenty-four hours, right?” She tightened her hold around Kara’s neck when the blonde took off, pressing her face into her neck as of that was all it took to forget she was off the ground.

 

Kara simply chuckled as she held Lena close to her and flew to her place. The trip didn’t take long and soon she had Lena back on her feet. “You know, I won’t drop you,” Kara said as she stepped away from Lena.

 

“I know, I still hate flying, though,” Lena said, smoothing out her dress as she led the way out of the alley. She waved at the woman manning the front desk of the building and signaled that Kara was with her. “I’ll be just a moment, I think I know where the money is but I may need your special eyes.”

 

There was something about this that reminded Kara of their time together years ago. The Lena letting her into the apartment was so different yet so similar to the young woman with twin braids who was out to discover the secrets of the universe. Memories of nights watching Lena tinker and staring at the stars filled her mind. She remembered the taste of Lena’s chapstick wondering when Lena changed to always wearing that shade of red. Everything Lena, past and present, filled her mind and perhaps that’s why she acted on impulse.

 

As soon as the door to the apartment was closed, Kara pinned Lena against it and her eyes flickered between wide, confused green eyes that soon sparked with understanding and want to red painted lips. She left room for Lena to retreat, time for Lena to stop her, but instead of doing either of those things Lena cupped her cheeks and pulled her in. When their lips met it felt as though nothing had changed. They were still the same people who sat together in that dorm room or under the stars. Still the same people who took impromptu trips around the world and talked about the universe and all it held. Still the same Lena and Kara from before these past five years.

 

“Do we really want to do this?” Lena asked after Kara had lifted her into her arms. Her breath was right against Kara’s lips and their foreheads were touching in a way that flooded Kara’s mind with so many memories. They locked eyes and Kara knew that Lena had the same memories going through her own head.

 

“Do you want me to stop?” Kara asked as she brushed her lips against Lena’s. She pressed the other woman against her and Lena bit her bottom lip as she thought. They really should stop. They should stop and talk about what the boundaries were between them. They needed to talk, they needed to think this-

 

Lena responded by pressing her lips firmly against Kara’s and threaded her fingers into blonde locks. It was all over from there, any doubts or hesitations. Five years was a long time but memories of intimacy and love were always hard to forget. They were parts of each other they had grown to think they didn’t need and on the surface they wish they didn’t need each other. Five years of thinking the other wanted nothing to do with them. Five years of pain and fear. Five years of feeling like something was missing. Five years apart was nothing compared to what was coming next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to remind you all this is a slow burn so this is not Kara and Lena getting back together. I hope you all enjoyed ^^


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